Top 4 Minus 1 - Barry Gibb Performs!

Excitement settles gently into my living room as the inevitable whispers of the impending show emanate from behind the commercials on my TV screen, which are about to give way to the all too familiar American Idol theme song...

There it is!

The judges switch seats, but not in a way which distances Paula from Simon's abusive immediacy, so what's the point?

Street interviews reveal pretty well-split opinions on the finalists. It's truly anyone's guess who will be leaving, but I consider my judgments, of course, to be semi-professional, and better than a street poll...sort of how Simon feels, divided by 1000... ; )

Both Phil Stacey and Chris Richardson had interviews and performances on the Ellen Degeneres Show today. Both did well. Phil was wearing a U.S. Navy First Class Petty Officer uniform, and he noted that he wasn't sure whether he'd get to go on tour, and that his first responsibility was to the Navy. Ellen, of course, asserted that they should let him perform.

Pink performs. It was okay, but didn't disract me from typing the above and nibbling on tempura shrimp...yum!

Lakisha looks like a manager at Burger King in the contestants' Ford commercial this week.

At this point the judges have switched their seats back to normal...? Ryan seems to make a point of having the camera show this without offering any explanation.

The contestants' choral BG medley starts off with Melinda's mic on mute. Hmph.

Lakisha is talking to herself in preparing herself for the possibility of leaving.

Thank God they took the time to spend half the show plugging The Fantastic Four (okay, my sarcasm is a little rusty. and less subtle than it could be).

The contestant background histories were interesting.

Ryan wisely lays the all too gag-me-with-a backhoe "right after this" ploy at the feet of the producers. I feel for him.

The contestants' self-protective huddle was kinda cute. Jordin is first, and is safe, not surprisingly.

AI is moving into the band business, soliciting tapes and DVDs from bands for a competition. Cool!

Barry Gibb performs. His vocalization seems a little stilted. It doesn't seem that he can hold a note for very long anymore. Another burnt out singer, but ya gotta give him props as a composer. He does seem to improve a bit as the song develops.

Melinda, predictably, is safe. Simon guesses Lakisha will go, despite objections to doing so from the other judges.

Blake is safe. Lakisha is going, just as I predicted. She sings herself out with good spirit.

See you next week!

John

Idol Gives Back No More--Down to 4

So, the charity is over, and to make up for past generosity Idol kicks off two contestants this week. Sort of makes last week's most shocking results ever seem like pseudokindness. Anyway, Phil's gone not because he didn't rock Bon Jovi night, but because he waited until Tuesday to really bring it. And with so many excellent female singers there is only room for one guy, and it's Blake (obviously, after his amazing Tuesday performance), so sorry to Chris, but mad props for the effort he's put into this competition. With the extra rehearsals and work with professionals he could be quite entertaining on tour.

I have questions as always after the results show, and here they are:

1. Do we really need to bring back boogie and bring back Barry Gibbs? Haven't we all be Bee-Gee'd out?

2. Did anyone else think three other Idol winners would perform last night? Honestly, they could have flashed up that toll-free number and had a chimp mime someone making a phone call and it would have been at least as entertaining as watching Taylor plead for money. And shame on Ryan for actually comparing these three spots to last week's performances by Kelly and Carrie.

3. When did Bon Jovi get back together for this tour thing? I was actually very impressed by their performance last night. I could tell from Jon's work with the contestants that he does have quite a bit of musical talent.

4. How many other people got the willies from that Robin Thicke performance? When I saw him at first, I thought he was the guy from the back of my high school economics class who was always muttering something about computing odds ratios and mean values or something like that. We couldn't even understand the last bit of his song and were saying to each other what our best guess was. Then our daughter says in all sincerity, "Maybe it was a different language." Not a bat bet. Honestly, he didn't seem like a guy that could have a #1 R&B hit right now. (As an aside, I went to his website and found out that: (a)He doesn't always sing in falsetto, and (b)He has at least one song with the requisite "U" for "You" substitution to legitimize his claim as an R&B star.)

5. Was anyone else nervous that Phil was going to forget to sing with his wife? How would that have gone down when they got home?

6. Did Chris actually say he'd go home for Blake? I have a hard time believing that!

So, Boogie or Bee-Gees or Disco or some other crazy week next. At least only 4 people will have to sing it, but they'll probably do it twice! Here we go again . . .

Top 6 minus 2 - Bon Jovi Performs!

Alrighty then...this is gonna hurt a little...

Ryan's promise of "no filler" is a joke, and he clearly shows it with his facial expression.

Simon misconstrues Ryan's 'puppet' remark and demands an apology from Ryan. LOL! He recovers quickly enough, though, and manages a fast return to a civil mood.

filler...I'm

filler...going

filler...to

filler...cook

filler...shrimp & egg noodles

Ah. Results. Melinda is safe. Lakisha is safe. Phil is going home. I guess his last three weeks wasn't quite enough to save him. I'm not sorry. He done good, but he ain't heavy.

His parting song lyrics now seem ominous: "I don't know where I'm going...I'm going down in a blaze of glory." He really is, and I wish him and his family well.

Mmmm...good noodles and shrimp... ; )

They let Jordin off the hook after last week's torture. Good, but not enough. That leaves Chris and Blake, and I think Chris will be the one to go. If not, Blake will have learned something valuable by the risk he took, regarding how wide of an audience his unique stylings will appeal to. He'll certainly have a loyal following if he leaves, but I think he'll be staying.

Bon Jovi - What can be said. Wonderful. Rock on!

I can even tolerate the Ford commercial better, now that Mike Rowe from 'Dirty Jobs' is doing them. I love that guy, and his voice is a pleasure to listen to.

Chris is leaving, as I thought, but it's nice to hear that he and Blake plan to tour together, and I'm sure Ellen will have him on before long.

Gotta go listen to the song contest entries...

John


P.S. I'm betting at least a nickel that that's Dr. Mark singing 'Someday' in the contest entries. I've never heard his voice, but it matches what he looks like, and the simple piano with violin in the background seems about right for his studio skills. Am I right?

Top 6 - Bon Jovi Mentors!

I love Bon Jovi, as much, if not more, for his acting and personality as for his musical talent.

Phil Stacey - Opened with power and performed quite well. The judges agree, except Simon, but I can see the truth in what he said about Phil acting the part. He does have something about him reminiscent of The Great Pretender, a chameleon who can target what people want and is exceptional, if nauseating at times, at being the consummate people-pleaser. He has at least as much talent in that area as in singing - and maybe much more.

Jordin Sparks - I think this song might have been a poor choice. The lower register she starts in puts her voice in a bad light, but she has to start that low in order to be where she needs to for the higher registers, the key change, and the very powerful ending. Randy agrees with my analysis. Simon just rips into her with no pity. Realistically though, it was one of her worst, but it wasn't actually terrible.

Lakisha Jones - 'This Ain't a Love Song' - Mmmmm...she slinks into this song like she wrote it herself. Chills from the start which stay to the end. Sing it, girl! Simply an excellent performance...one of the best this season...recordable as it stands. This is the performance to beat tonight. Even Simon loved it and proves it by kissing instead of dissing her. Simon wiping his lips while continuing to talk, after Ryan's remark about her lipstick on his lips, is priceless.

Blake Lewis - 'You Give Love A Bad Name' - a brilliant, ultra-creative interpretation of a song that might be better than the original. It certainly highlighted his considerable skillz in beat-boxing. A HUGE success, and, as Randy said, the most original, personalized interpretation ever done on AI. Simply marvelous.

Chris Richardson - 'Wanted - Dead Or Alive' - Chris gets the requisite grunge in his voice to sing this song, and does a decent job, but it isn't on a par other performances tonight, which puts him in the middle, or worse. He may be in trouble if America favors Phil's improved performances tonight and for the past 3 weeks, which is quite conceivable, and doesn't think Jordin deserves to go based on tonight's borderline performance, which is also quite likely.

Melinda Doolittle - 'Have A Nice Day' - Melinda brings it very nicely, and tops Phil and Chris, though the stilted lyrics don't give her much opportunity to showcase her voice. It was a stretch for her, but she handled it well enough. Randy compares her to a young Tina Turner, which is accurate, and even Simon agrees with this. I don't think she came up to Blake and Lakisha tonight, but was closer than anyone else.

Tops - Blake and Lakisha (you choose), followed by Melinda.

Bottoms - For the night, Jordin and Chris.

Going home - dead or alive - I have to bet on Chris. Though his performance tonight was very good, I think Jordin's history will carry her through, and Phil's last three performances will keep him alive. If not, Phil will be people-pleasing elsewhere.

Top 6 (Again)

Well! THAT was a GREAT night! Save one poor song selection and very uncomfortable and under confident performance, everyone was fantastic!

Best to worst tonight for me for them:

Blake
Melinda and Lakisha (I can't decide)
Phil (I know. I surprise myself. I can give credit where credit's due.)
Chris
Jordin (UGH. This pains me.)

Phil started the show REALLY well and did a surprisingly good job, I must admit. I don't care for his mugging and kissing up, but he DID do a really good job tonight. I'm not sure it's enough to save him though, given his competition. And besides, he said he's going down in a blaze of glory, so you know . . .

Jordin realllllly did not pick the right song. It's the first time I've seen her do that (not pick the right song) and it was really rough. She looked totally uncomfortable and I was uncomfortable for her. I don't think it's enough to boot her. I still think she has a shot at winning it all, but it was WAY rough tonight. I do love that she admits it and doesn't go on and on about "having fun!" She calls a spade a spade. Good for her. I love how genuine she is. It's refreshing. It's marketable. Plus, her name is Jordin Sparks. I can't think of a name that could be more marketable than that one without making up a stage name. She's great! Rough night, but she's great. And for the record, I didn't think this past week's performance was THAT great. It was really, really good, but the praise was over the top--it wasn't her best, her vocals were strained, and it was a bit pitchy. That said, it was still GREAT, but not "the best ever" yadda yadda. But anyway, I think that considering the two weeks together, she's fine. (And for the record, I totally knew they wouldn't boot anyone this past week--I suspected before the show, felt it would be out of place if they had, and knew when Ryan said "biggest shocker ever" to start the show). So, neener neener.

Lakisha was FANTASTIC! Probably her best week ever. And I loved the interchange with Simon (who "llllllllloved" her at her audition, too). He kissed her! And said she has great lips! Now that's an idol highlight! She did a great job--very controlled, very powerful, not oversung. Kudos to Kiki. Smart song choice. It was phenomenal.

BLAKE DESERVES ALL CAPS BECAUSE HE WAS HOT HOT HOT AND PHE-FREAKING-NOMENAL! I LOVE THAT GUY. LOVE HIM. HE WAS "DA BOMB!" AND TOOK SUCH A GARGANTUAN RISK AND TOTALLY, TOTALLY PULLED IT OFF. LOVE THE BEAT BOXING, LOVE THE RECORD PLAYING, LOVE HOW HE MAKES IT HIS OWN. HE NEEDED TO BEAT BOX THIS WEEK AND IT WILL PAY OFF. HE'S NOT GOING ANYWHERE. HE HAS US ALL BEGGING FOR MORE. LOVE THIS GUY. I PREDICT THAT THAT WILL BREAK SOME SORT OF DOWNLOAD RECORD TONIGHT. THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC. LOVE BLAKE. BEST TONIGHT. HANDS DOWN.

Chris got more credit than I think it deserved, but it really wasn't bad. I think he's in danger. It wasn't horrible. It wasn't great. Overall, it was good. I like him. I don't think he's making top 3 or anything. I *do* think he's generally better than Phil, though. Curious to see how it plays out.

Melinda was SMOKIN' hot!! She is SO good, SO fun, SO amazing! She was phenomenal as well. (What a great night of performances!!) I love Melinda's sassy performances and she rocked it out with sass and attitude and I loved it! I really like her and do think she'll be in the top 2, if not winning it all. Way to go, Melinda. GREAT song choice.

I predict Chris and (urgh, this past week, I would've said Lakisha even though I think she did well with "I Believe" and the judges were harsh--though I totally agree that ABSOLUTELY NO ONE can touch Fantasia's performance of it and hers is one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE Idol performances EVER, but given the judges' comments, I thought she'd go). Anyway. I predict Chris and Phil.

Headline: Simon and Lakisha caught in a liplock!

So, what a show! This is one of the best shows to date and honestly, everyone did at least a really good job. And the judges seemed to be in a good mood this week. Everybody's feeling good about the millions of dollars they raised last week. It was a setup for a good one . . .

RANDOM THOUGHTS: Bon Jovi has a lot better songs than Diana Ross. Good ol' Jon looked pretty psyched for Blake's performance, even if he didn't want to let on about it. So, Jordin's mom "grew up" on Bon Jovi. I feel like I did, listening to my brother's "Slippery When Wet" record. Yes, you read that correctly: it was a record (often played right after listening to my Europe, "Final Countdown" record). So, I guess that means the "next generation" is coming along, making me one of the "aging generations." My how time flies. So, Lakisha found a personality this week, and Simon found a new girlfriend. It's nice to see Simon in love. Melinda rocks! I bet Gina felt like crap listening to Ryan's "too bad you're out already, this would have been an awesome week for you" jabs, and then watching Melinda fumble through the rockin' sign language . . . twice! This was a great night for the band. Ricky was rockin', B.B. King's little brother was lovin' it, the percussionist got a great workout on Blake's song. Awesome band night! And why didn't George W pony up a little green tonight? He only makes half-a-million dollars for being president besides the private plane and free meals! Sheesh!

PHIL STACEY ("Blaze of Glory"): First of all, wrong lyrical choice for elimination protection. And especially considering two people go home tomorrow, it all becomes so much more precarious. Phil rocked the house, this much I can admit. His self-aggrandizing personality still irritates me, but based on his rocked-out, slightly country-tinged rendition and Bon Jovi's glowing praise he should be here next week. Let's see if America likes him more than Simon.

JORDIN SPARKS ("Living on a Prayer"): So, that was the wrong song in the wrong key at the wrong time. Ouch! She is so much better than this week showed. Well, I guess she can't be held responsible for music she only heard as an infant. She did sound better after the Truck Driver's Gear Change toward the end of the song, but it didn't help much.

LAKISHA JONES ("This Ain't a Love Song"): I'd never heard this song before, but she rocked it! Classic Lakisha power ballad at the right time. She was in control and looked like she owned the stage. No wonder Simon wanted to get a little of that som'in' som'in'!

BLAKE LEWIS ("You Give Love a Bad Name"): Mark it down. Tonight is the night that you saw the most original performance in Idol history, past, present, or future. OK, so it's a bit hyperbolic, but I wouldn't be surprised if when this show is gone, Blake's performance tonight ranks up there as one of the most memorable. It was awesome! Jon Bon Jovi wanted to love it in the open, but had to keep his true feelings in the closet on this one. I knew Blake had to bring back his unique style and did he ever! I've never seen a contestant with so much chutzpah and the talent to back it. Wow!

CHRIS RICHARDSON ("Dead or Alive"): So the deck was stacked against him on two accounts: another Chris who now headlines a band bearing his last name a la Bon Jovi did this last year, and Richardson had to follow Blake. Oh, and Ryan made a stupid Timberlake comment (did you catch the Richardson eye roll?). Chris did a good job, even with the fates aligned to trip him up. You could hear his style a bit throughout, although I'm not sure I really heard any "blue notes." It's that time of year when the really good fall victim to the great, and Chris may be caught in the crossfire.

MELINDA DOOLITTLE ("Have a Nice Day"): OK. I think I will, but only because you so emphatically encouraged me to do so. Great song selection and a great way to wrap up the show. This girl can sing, and bonus points to her for knockin' it out the box on an off week for her. BonJovi? Melinda? Really?

MY TOP 3: Blake, Melinda, Lakisha
#1 DOWNLOAD IN AMERICANIDOL.COM HISTORY: Blake
MOST BLATANT CAMERA MUGGING FOR PERSONAL GAIN SINCE PHIL STACEY: The Bushes
THE ERNIE BANKS AWARD (LET'S BOOT TWO): Phil and Chris

It's so tough to predict this week since it's the combined votes from the past two weeks, and I don't think Phil deserves it this week, but that's the way I see it for now. Oh, and they announce the finalists for the Songwriting contest tomorrow (from what I can seen online). I'll let you all know if mine is there. Cross your fingers. Pray. Light candles. Perform ritualistic sacrifice. Actually, scratch that. But do whatever else you want to bring about good karma!

Top 6 minus 1 - Idol Gives Back - Ellen Degeneres Co-Hosts - Too Many Stars To Name Perform!

This is going to be an awesome show!

Ryan starts by going for perfection on his opening announcement. That says how intent they are on making this the best show ever... or at leas he is... ; )

Earth, Wind and Fire - wonderful!

Randy's visit to New Orleans was just sad. That's Ellen's home state, too.

The top 6 did a marvelous job with Quincy Jones' 'It's Time to Share'.

Ben Stiller's singing is funny...

The video of Simon in Africa was quite revealing... he clearly does have a heart.

Melinda Doolittle is safe.

Paula's trip to the Boys & Girls Clubs was touching.

Il Diva's performance of 'Somewhere' was a little pitchy... ; )
But the accompany video was awesome.

Jack Black's spirit is wonderful! Simon's comment about him being better than Sanjaya was a riot, and Sanjaya took it well.

Blake Lewis is safe. I'm thinking they aren't going to divulge the bottom 2 or 3 tonight, so we may never know how close anyone came to being booted, but clearly, Blake pulled himself up a notch since last week.

Carrie Underwood's performance of 'I'll Stand By You' was simply excellent, and very moving.

Rascal Flats sounded great.

Excuse me while I dig my credit card out of the duct tape wallet I made the other night...

The 'Stayin' Alive' video montage was cool.

Phil Stacey is safe. That leaves Lakisha, Jordin, and Chris, meaning Lakisha and Chris.

Ellen donated $100,000. Typical Ellen 'the Generous'.

Josh Groban's 'You Lift Me Up' was just lovely, and the African Children's Choir was a beautiful touch. Very moving.

Kelly Clarkson's 'I've Been Up To The Mountain' was excellent.

Lakisha Jones is on the spot. She's safe, so there goes Chris. Will they make him, er... considering the quality of the other performances tonight, make that let him perform one last time?

Here comes the star duet. Celine Dion and Elvis Presley! Damn if that doesn't look and sound like the King! Was the look-alike lip-syncing to the real Elvis?

Annie Lennox sings 'Bridge Over Troubled Water'. Wonderful.

Jordin and Chris are both safe. Poor Jordin almost went into shock when Chris was announced to be safe before she was. That was pretty cruel, really. It's nice they didn't want to boot anyone on a charity night, but that was just harsh.

They all sound awesome in 'This Is My American Prayer'.

See you next week!

...John

Dr. Mark Gives Back

In the spirit of the evening, I've decided I should give back. And I don't just mean that I'm hooking up the power dialer and raking up those dime donations. I've decided to give only positive feedback to the contestants tonight. I'll give comments from the Paula school of thought this week, and it won't include anything about the idols' looks, wardrobes, or charitable tendencies.

RANDOM THOUGHTS: Simon must be giving back tonight because he was in an awfully good mood, and Mr. Tin Man seems to have finally met the Wizard based upon the video clips we saw. So Ryan decides that tonight is the night for facial scruff? Interesting. Did I miss Bono somewhere? Didn't they say he was the mentor this week?

CHRIS RICHARDSON ("Change the World"): Perfect song choice, and he actually did a good job of making it "his own" tonight. Plus, that guitarist is "da bomb!" I always love when they bring him out front.

MELINDA DOOLITTLE (Some inspirational song by Faith Hill): Great song choice and I could definitely hear the Melinda soul come through. She's great, and she's doing so much better with not looking surprised, even if it is tough to do.

BLAKE LEWIS ("Imagine"): So, a predictable song choice, but a great one. There's not much that needs to be done with a song like that. His voice is perfect for this song and he did a very good job.

LAKISHA JONES ("I Believe"): OK, so at first I thought doing another Idol winner song would be a mistake, but Lakisha did a great job. She should have gotten better praise from the judges, in my opinion. No one is Fantasia, but Lakisha's rendition was very good.

PHIL STACEY ("Change"): (I promised I'd be good.) This was an adequate performance, in the long-awaited appropriate genre for him. (That wasn't as hard as I initially expected!)

JORDIN SPARKS (I forgot to take notes, but it was something about being alone, or not being alone): This girl keeps getting better each week. Fantastic performance, on par with her other great ones. She's "in it to win it."

MY TOP 3: Melinda, Jordin, Blake
MY BOTTOM 3: I'll give back by not singling out the obvious
GIVING BACK THE BACKSTAGE PASS: Phil

So, there's my positive spin on the night. It's feels so weird being not sarcastic. I'm genuinely excited for tomorrow's 2-hour show. From the sounds of it over the past few weeks it should be a night to remember. Oh, and maybe we'll see Bono after all!

Top 6 - Idol Gives Back - Bono Mentors!

Yippee! An extended show that's worth seeing!

I talked to my ex recently, who has been to Africa. She was impressed not so much with what we can offer them, but what they can offer us - a point that will be familiar to Stacy - that they can teach us how to be happy with what we have. She was invited to talk on a radio show and happened to mention the predominance of healthy white teeth, perhaps due to the lack of sugary soft drinks. The host seized on that and completely glossed over her other points. Ah well...

I'll definitely be voting tonight.

Chris Richardson - I liked it, but I know the judges will think it was thin. Surprise! Randy and Paula both liked it. Simon even liked it! I didn't think it was all that much better than some of the other performances they dissed in the past.

I'm very glad to hear they're including America in their charity work.

Melinda Doolittle - A very apt song for this program, and, no surprise, she gives me huge chills. This song should be the theme for Idol Gives Back. She got me tearful with this one. She looks extraordinarily beautiful tonight. Randy loved it. Paula loved it. Simon praised it. Crown her now.

Blake Lewis - 'Imagine'. I thought, before the break, Ryan mentioned an upcoming song by Simon & Garfunkel, not John Lennon. Blake does this decently, but I can understand Randy's remark that he was expecting something a bit more. Simon's remark that the dynamics were a bit lacking was spot on, but it was sincerely and well done, as he added.

Lakisha Jones - A little yelly for me. The judges are finding it difficult to break the mood of the IGB special with anything that sounds remotely negative, but they manage to make their point, and Simon agrees about the shouting.

Phil Stacey - sticks with the country which got so much approval, and does a very good job that gave me a few chills at the end. I agree with Paula that this was his best. Now Simon wants nasally...or is there some other 'country' tone he's looking for?

Jordin Sparks - Ryan sets this up by announcing "a show stopper" before the break. That's interesting. 'You'll Never Walk Alone' - I guess it was a setup. Apparently the producers are pushing for this one. But she truly lived up to the promotion, and it was a show-stopper. She may have topped Melinda this time.

It's funny, and a little sad, that Simon had no idea about the people who use and volunteer at food banks, and had to ask for a hug because he's "never met nice people." Weird.

Tops - Jordin and Melinda (I can't choose, and will vote for both).

Bottoms - Per the judges, Lakisha, and I can't really disagree. If we go by last week's eliminations, Blake may join her. It will be interesting to see who the third is, if they disclose that, but I can't imagine.

Leaving - I really don't know.

See you tomorrow!

...John

Sanjaya is going home

Nice kid, but right person to go home. I bet it's been really tough for him.

I found Martina McBride's song to be very inspirational for us. Thank you!

I'm tired and not feeling particularly witty or remembering much about the show. OH! Except that I am SO SICK AND TIRED of hearing what people on Hollywood Boulevard have to say! Guess what? I don't CARE what people on Hollywood Boulevard have to say. I'd rather have a half hour results show! Grrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Ryan. I like Ryan. Always have. But he is seeming dorkier and dorkier ALL the time. I don't know what's happened to him. He's turning into dweeby uptight dorky TV show host guy. What happened to cool Ryan? Bring back the inside out T-shirts and scruffy looks. Throw out the skinny ties. Whaaaaa, where's the old Ryan?!

So, anyway, Blake does NOT deserve to be ranked lower than Phil. No way. No how. Phil is annoying the bejeebers out of me. I've had enough. He's a mugger. Blech.

I find myself totally digging Blake and really liking Jordin and Melinda. Believe it or not, I'm liking Chris more and more. Lakisha just seems so put out to be there. And Phil? Well, do I really need to go there again?

Marie Osmond Week

Well, it was really Martina McBride week, but don't you think an Osmond week would be, er, interesting? Maybe not. Anyway, I thought this week's show was a good one, and I was glad to see how nicely A.I. (and even Simon individually) showed sensitivity and class about the events in Virginia this week. It must have been a difficult week for so many of the contestants.

RANDOM THOUGHTS: So, how can Simon pay attention to judge these idols when he's playing "got your nose" with Paula? I'm so tired of the extra attention this show give Sanjaya. It came off as condescending when Ryan jumped in and cut off Simon's criticism of his performance this week, although the ensuing banter was enjoyable. I think it's great how they found Jerry Garcia the Fiddler this week. Simon still seems to hate country music, but after 6 seasons he's starting to come around . . . slowly. Simon singing "Shining Happy People"--nice one. My choice would have been "What the World Needs Now," but Sanjaya's pick works, too. And while we're on the topic, what did Corey Clark do with Sanjaya. I was surprised to see our favorite Season 2 criminal back on stage. Shouldn't he be out promoting his "I Love Paula (and She Loves Me)" album? Is it me, or does Lakisha not take criticism well?

PHIL STACEY ("Where the Blacktop Ends"): To paraphrase Stacy's words tonight, he went and pulled a Josh Gracin on us. First, he did very well tonight. He seemed comfortable and natural, and really performed well. I just wish he'd let us in on his little secret a while back. We could have skipped the whole phony, "love me America, not for who I am, but for what I seem to be" act and cut to the part where Phil admits he's more Marie than Donny and just sings what fits. He spent so many weeks hiding his insecurities behind a people-pleasing facade instead of just showing us who he is and living with the consequences, good or bad. Rant. Off.

JORDIN SPARKS ("A Broken Wing"): Gutsy is right! Oh, and she was awesome, too! She connected with the song, gave a brilliant performance, and goosebumps abounded plentifully in our home tonight. Fantastic!

SANJAYA MALAKAR ("Let's Give 'Em Something to Talk About," or laugh, or cry, or whatever): Back to karaoke. Back to bad high school talent show memories. Give Sanjaya credit for coming out and giving an honest effort week after week. But Simon is right: eventually we have to really find the American Idol in all of this.

LAKISHA JONES ("Jesus Take the Wheel"): She may have connected with the sentiment of the song, but the performance was just aight for me. It was out of tune and she seemed disconnected from the whole of the thing. The song itself is incredible and that will save her a bit, but overall this was not her best effort. Her eyes glassed over about 3 seconds into the criticism the judges had for her. This does not help me like her any better. If one is going to get on stage as a performer, looking to be the best, she has got to learn to take the lumps with more grace than that.

CHRIS RICHARDSON ("Mayberry"): I've never heard the original so I can't compare Chris's take, but I liked it overall. I can see where Country suits him just fine. His vocal tone fits with Rascal Flatts as well. This wasn't his strongest performance, but I think the judges were overly harsh. Simon's eye roll when Chris shared heart-felt emotion was juvenile at best (and expected), but looking back I can see how this could have been a week where singing, albeit on the Big Stage, took a backseat to life. I fear Chris could be the latest to be affected by the natural disaster that is Sanjaya.

MELINDA DOOLITTLE ("Trouble is a Woman"): Ah, she's back! This was a great song choice, and she did it well. Melinda showed why she's been a front runner from the start. I actually thought it was funny when Simon wanted Melinda to stop being shocked at the compliments he gives her. Funnier still is that Melinda honestly doesn't see the talent that she possesses. This is not an act. There is a reason she's been singing backgrounds for so long--she's never thought she could do it. One day she'll see that she can, and believe it.

BLAKE LEWIS ("When the Stars Go Blue"): How fortuitous that Martina and Tim were just talking about how this would be a great song on A.I. How am I not surprised that Blake would pick the song people would like to hear? He always picks great songs and infuses his own style into them. Out of curiosity, I went and listened to the original and I was surprised to hear that Tim McGraw has a decent falsetto in him. Blake's take is just different enough to make it his, and his arrangements always remind me of the great alternative music I heard during high school in the late 80s and early 90s. It wasn't his best performance tonight, but it was still a really good one.

MY TOP 3: Jordin/Melinda, Blake
MY BOTTOM 3: Sanjaya, Lakisha, Phil (more for the Fony Factor than the performance itself)
SANJAYA HATER NO. 6 (sounds like a cologne): Chris

So, at some point Sanjaya will take his rightful place among the also-rans to be seen on tour this summer. I'm predicting he'll be Top 5, no higher. I'm looking forward to another contemporary, relevant performance from Martina McBride tomorrow night. On a side note, I submitted my entry for the Songwriting contest. I just hope my vocal track doesn't end up on a "Worst of the Worst" segment on finale night!

Top 7

Wow. What an interesting night.

I'm going to start by ranking them this time:

Jordin
Melinda/Blake
Phil
Chris
Lakisha
Sanjaya

Now, take a good look at that. Weird list, isn't it?

Phil - I know I didn't write this past week, but suffice it to say that this guy BUGS me. That little flippy thing he did with his bow? Lame. BUT as much as I dislike the guy, I give credit where it's due and he wasn't bad tonight. And I know I didn't write to say as much, but believe me when I say that I totally predicted this. I predicted that he'd pull a Josh Gracin. And that he did. But Simon nailed it when he said, 10 weeks later and now we know what kind of a singer he is. And spare me the agreeable antics, Phil. If this is what you really want to do, why haven't you been doing it?? I'm bored with you now.

Jordin - Phe-FREAKING-nomenal. Melinda-Lakisha finale? No. Quite frankly, SHE is the one to beat. Jordin is amazing, whatever her age. That performance gave me waves of chills again and again. It was moving, she looked beautiful, and she's simply extraordinary and so stinking cute and bubbly. I really, really like her. I said it before Simon did tonight (ask Mark!)--she could definitely win this whole thing. And deservedly so. And what a marketable name she has! I'm prediciting a win for her.

Sanjaya - Ugh. It was awful. Nice kid, but it was really awful. Poor Bonnie Raitt. That was hideous. He did a nice job a week ago, but it was bloody awful tonight. Totally off and . . . just ugh. I'm just tired of even writing about this.

Lakisha - Yikes. That was not good. She just doesn't seem to have the passion for this competition. Tonight made it crystal clear that Jordin and Melinda are leagues ahead of Lakisha. She was very and uncomfortably off the whole time. I'm just not buying her that much anymore. She doesn't seem to want it that badly. Her poker face is getting tiresome to decipher. She's really got to bring it if she has any interest in the finale, though again, I think she's been out-sung and out-performed again and again. And I think she may be in the bottom 3 this week. Yep.

Chris - I don't know what the judges were listening to; I think he did a good job. Sure, it wasn't out of this world, but it was better than they gave him credit for. When he started with his condolences, at first I was thinking it was a ploy or whatever, but he is from Virginia and I agree with Simon that the whole thing had to have been difficult for them. And did you hear his lyrics? Wishing for Mayberry? Don't we all? :(

Melinda - Fantastic! And a big ol' public THANK YOU to Simon for telling her to knock off the surprised act. We've all tired of it. We know she's good and she knows that we know it. Great job, Melinda. Smile and say thank you. That's all. She looked and sounded great.

Blake - I. Love. This. Guy. He is AWESOME. He is like a walking Scrubs soundtrack. Or the soundtrack to "A Lot Like Love." Or a combination of a hip, alternative 80's band (THANK YOU, BLAKE for bringing THAT back. Justin can have his sexy.) combined with a bit of 90s edge and a little taste of Paul McCartney a la Wings and you have Blake's delicious tone infused with his own unique style. He knows who he is. He picks great songs. He is a true musician. He is a great performer. I love his falsetto. I love his confident style. I love his choreography. I love his voice. I love his attitude. Of all the contestants this season, I would buy HIS album. Love this guy. Fantastic!

Bottom 3: Sanjaya (Yes, I think he may find himself there this week), Lakisha, and Chris.
Leaving: Unfairly, Chris. OR seemingly shockingly (though at this point, it's not really), Lakisha.

Top 7 - Country, with Martina McBride!

Yee-ha!

Phil Stacey - Martina loves his voice - let's see. He brings it off quite well, I think. One of his better performances, for me. Randy agrees, wholeheartedly. So does Paula. Let's see what sourpuss has to say. He agrees, even in this hated genre! Very nice start for the show.

Jordin Sparks - A bit moderate to start, but kicks into high gear midway and soars to the powerful end. She feels it so much, it makes her tearful. Very good. Simon, for the first time, thinks she has a shot at winning.

Sanjaya Malakar - His choice of a song for Simon to sing was funny. 'Let's Give Them Something To Talk About' - He's way to soft on this song, and I don't mean his volume, though that's not as good as it could be, either. Definitely not good. Randy nails my take on it - karaoke. Paula placates. Simon beats the dead horse while it's down. Ryan interjects, and Simon puts him in his place.

Lakisha Jones - Martina finds her "believable" on 'Jesus Take The Wheel'. I do too. Randy didn't like it as much as I did. Neither did Paula. I was in the kitchen, so apparently I missed something if they all agree, but I got some chills off it, so, for me, it was good.

Chris Richardson - Martina liked his 'Mayberry'. His voice sounds great and blends with the band very nicely. He gives me some chills on this one. Very good. The judges completely pan the performance, however, Simon saying he thinks he hears something completely different than the audience. In this case, I agree with him. It seemed more like his prejudice against a "nasally" country style, to me.

Melinda Doolittle: - 'Trouble is a Woman' - an obscure song, as Martina notes, but Melinda owns it and has Martina riveted. I can see why. A very solid performance - Randy quotes me, exactly. Certainly the best tonight. Simon prefaces his compliment with a request that she not act surprised and undeserving. I think she might have done this anyway, but the reminder didn't hurt, except to preclude our knowing whether she could have handled it on her own.

Blake Lewis: 'Dancing When the Stars Go Blue' - one note was badly off, and there is some general pitchiness as he tries to go with the falsetto recommended by Martina. Just good, for me, and bordering on not so good. Randy and Paula don't notice anything I heard, but Simon only gives it, "It was okay."

Tops: Melinda and Jordin were too close to pick a 'best'. Phil, Lakisha and Chris were pretty much tied for second, in my book.

Bottoms: Sanjaya, by a long shot. No one else came close, but to hear the judges, second worst was Lakisha.

Taking country roads home: should be Sanjaya, but it's anybody's guess. Based on the bottom three last week, it will be Phil, as though tonight's very good performance counted for nothing. We shall see.

Manana...

John

Top 8 Minus 1 - JLo Performs!

They're squeezing an hour out of this!? JLo better perform twice!

The group sing was enjoyable. It's interesting how they seem to have paired people by their relative status - Sanjaya with Haley, most noticeably.

When they interviewed the little girl about who she liked, it seemed clear that Sanjaya has a similar appeal to young kids as Michael Jackson had. He does have that 'young at heart', playful vibe. The kid was quick to say she didn't like Blake or Jordin. Interesting.

Simon took the ribbing well about his man-breasts, as drawn by one of the schoolgirls in Africa.

Tony Bennett's fake audition was pretty funny, especially the 'other door' ending...LOL!

Blake keeps a crib sheet on his wrist...LOL! I probably would, too.

Phil's in the bottom 3. No real surprise. Sanjaya gets played - up & down. I'm betting he's safe. Haley's in the boot'em 3, as well. Yay! Chris and Sanjaya get played. I'm betting Chris is going down. Yep. But I'll bet he's not in the bottom 2.

Ellen Degeneres did a bit today about how Howard Stern and a certain website are encouraging people to vote for Sanjaya - as the worst contestant. She stole my joke and noted that we'd already tried voting for the worst, and look what's happened, and urged people to vote for the best. She really meant it. She loves American Idol, and, according to a poll of her viewers, on her website, Melinda is still winning by a landslide.

Chris is safe, as I thought.

Sanjaya wants JLo....ewwww!

JLo sings! Yes! Talk about goose bumps! It's easy to feel her even without understanding the words. She is awesome. I don't know if you've ever gotten to watch her act, but she's a joy to watch in the cinema, as well. It doesn't surprise me that she's in the 'Paula school of criticism', and I love her for saying so (not that we don't need our Simon).

Haley goes bye-bye. She sings us off with good spirits. I wish her well.

See you next week!

...John

I almost prefer Diana Ross week!

So, another lackluster week with a few really good performances. To quote some really insightful people, I wasn't jumping out of my chair, you looked nice tonight, and I actually didn't hate it.

RANDOM THOUGHTS: J-Lo is actually really nice. Not that I thought she wouldn't be, but it's nice to see some of these stars and find out they are a bit more normal than I expected. I don't think Simon likes Latin music. His comments are very similar to what he says on country night. It seems that Randy loves Latin music. He just couldn't get enough. I'm so glad I saw the cast of "Dive" tonight, especially since I haven't a clue who they are or what Dive is. I guess I'm supposed to Google it. Ah, we've reached the point in the season where Paula's bias against female performers comes out definitively. There just aren't enough people in this thing with the attitude to pull of Latin music, but there were one or two who made it work for them. And can we put a moratorium on Gloria Estefan in these weeks. I can only take so much of the original Sound Machine, and usually no one can pull it off. Jose and the Caribbean Conga Line were loving it tonight. The band (and especially the percussion) was awesome tonight!

This week is a bit hectic for us in general, so my comments might be a bit abbreviated (you can all stop cheering now!).

MELINDA DOOLITTLE ("Sway"): I love the song, and I recognize it's old. J-Lo said it. Everyone could tell. She nailed it, brought more attitude than usual, and put on a great performance. The problem is that current Latin has more wow right now and she's starting to stagnate. On the up side, Simon did get to say something mean early in the show, and to Melinda for once! (OK, so much for abbreviated)

LAKISHA JONES ("Conga"): Hate the song. Lakisha did well with it and give her credit for going uptempo with attitude, although the attitude is nothing new. Didn't like her interview. It just made her seem a bit arrogant, but that may just be me.

CHRIS RICHARDSON ("Smooth"): I think it was a great song choice for him in that it suited his style and was contemporary. The problem is Rob Thomas is a tough act to top. All in all, a respectable performance.

HALEY SCARNATO ("Turn the Beat Around"): You can turn the car around and take her home, too. This song has probably been done in every A.I. season, and except Diana Degarmo in Season 3, no one has really done well with it. You have to nail the "syncopated rhythm" and not come off like someone with no rhythm. And you may not like what Simon said, but he's right. If Haley doesn't like it, she can try dressing more modestly and singing well. Or, she can see if Blake can perform with her.

PHIL STACEY ("Maria, Maria"): I think I know who he was thinking about, and it wasn't his wife. I've been hard on Phil in the past, but I do listen each week with an open mind and I'm willing to give him credit where credit is due. But, this was a weak vocal week for him, accentuated by the fact that he doesn't have the Yo to go with this genre. Immediately telling Simon you appreciate his negative comments is done already. Give it up. We get it. You've got love aplenty. His shout outs come off as too calculated. Why are you still here?

JORDIN SPARKS ("The Rhythm is Gonna Get You"): Estefan song #3. At this point, if it hasn't gotten me, an A.I. performance is not going to make it happen. She's got the energy to pull it off, and did a good job. I did like how she put a fresh spin on a lot of the song, but I still was underwhelmed on this one.

BLAKE LEWIS ("Need to Know"): Simon was right. It was the best song selection of the night and his voice and style match it perfectly. He has the attitude to do the Latin week. He isn't the best contestant vocally, but he knows how to stay within his abilities and bring out his unique style. Great performance tonight.

SANJAYA MALAKAR ("Besa Mi Mucho"): Great song selection. Great style on the stage. His vocals are still good, but not great. And Randy is right. He is the smartest contestant he's had in a while. Keep your fans happy = go far.

MY TOP 3: Blake, Melinda, and somebody else
MY BOTTOM 3: Haley, Phil, and some other contestant
TURNING THIS THING AROUND (AND HEADING HOME): Haley

J-Lo tonight. Let's see if we keep this show family friendly! Hey! You all wanted contemporary, and now you've got it!

Top 8 with JLo!

I love JLo, and her latest spanish language album is hot, hot, hot! And she looks for goose bumps, too! Definitely my kind of performer.

Melinda Doolittle: Does a fair job of injecting a sexy tone, per JLo. A guest on Ellen made the same point I hovered around last week. I'm not the only one getting tired of the undeserving demeanor when confronting the judges every week. She does the job with the song. Excellent. The judges agree except for Simon, who makes the point that she needs to exude some personality. She handles him very well, but he speaks to my earlier point. She does seem to be making an effort to turn that around, as evidenced by her double-take in response to Ryan's 'sexy' compliment - at first, she starts to hang her head demurely, but then lifts her head, smiles, and says, "thank you" like she actually deserves it. It seems she's reading the blogs.

Lakisha Jones: 'Conga' - doesn't drive home the rhythm vocally. It's driving her, but she should be driving the song, in my opinion, not the band. Paula picks up on this, and Simon agrees.

Both she and Melinda are losing ground to contenders like Jordin, who doesn't sing as well, but brings herself fully into every performance, and Blake Lewis, who manages something original and edgy most of the time. Well, let's see how Jordin and Blake do tonight.

Chris Richardson: This song seems like a long stretch for Chris. I'm not impressed. He does a decent job, with some very good runs, but it doesn't move me. The judges like it more than I. Still middle-of-the-road, for me.

Haley Scarnato: 'Turn The Beat Around' - Decent, but doesn't 'bite' the lyrics as well as JLo suggested, and her body isn't moving when the lyrics say it should be. Simon nails her on the skimpy dress.

Phil Stacey: Gave JLo goose bumps, so let's see. The hat is better than his bald head. I think his performance tonight is less intense than what he showed JLo, so, not great, but he does well, and the ending did raise a bump or two. Randy catches what I'm saying. His daughter's stuffed cow - Simon 'cow' - that's funny!

So far, they're doing roughly equally well...

Jordin Sparks: 'Rhythm's Gonna Get You' - low notes are borderline, but she's driving the song with her voice, and she puts herself into it and makes it her own. Definitely some goose bumps. Best tonight. Randy seems to agree. Simon has to knock her down.

Blake Lewis: 'I Need To Know' - 'Shake 'n' Blake' - also drives the song with the vocal rhythm, as it should be. A little better than Jordin, and the best tonight. Simon says it, so it must be true.

Sanjaya Malakar: 'Besa Me Mucho' - Good choice of song for him, and he does a suprisingly good job with it. His projection is appropriate for the song, rather than being too soft. Even Simon appreciated it.

Tops: Blake, Jordin, Melinda, in that order.

Bottoms: Sanjaya (I confess to writing tops and bottoms before hearing him), and Haley. I now have to reverse this: Haley, Sanjaya and Phil OR Chris, you choose.

Turning the beat around and taking it home: Haley.

Top 9

Well, THAT was a great night of performances! It's taken long enough but NOW it's an interesting season! One of my favorite nights so far this season! 7 (varying degrees of) GREAT performances and 2 bleh ones. Not bad!

1. Blake - "Mack the Knife" is a great song for him! Now, I like Blake FAR better than Chris Richardson, but I have to say that Chris made it more his own than Blake did, but Blake still did a great job and I like jazz on him. He's a cool cat.

2. Phil - "Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay aaaaaaaaaaaaand Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiight" was . . . so . . . dull . . . and . . . boring . . . and . . . weird. He sounded off to me. And all different in a weird way. Like that time all of a sudden Josh Gracin sang country. It's strange. I think Phil's getting the boot tomorrow.

3. Melinda - "I've Got Rhythm" is awesome on her! She sings with attitude and I like that. Thank goodness it was up tempo for a couple of reasons. One, it's about time she do something up tempo--it sounds good on her and she hasn't done it much and she, in my opinion, needed that this week. Two, she followed Phil and I don't think I could've handled much more stagnant plodding. That was awesome. Go Melinda!

4. Chris - I loved it! "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" was SO SO good! I'm happy for him that he got such praise. I *love* that he makes it his own, week after week. THAT is always impressive for me. He made a standard hip without taking away from its classic integrity. That takes talent. Talent he has. I hope that he's not in the bottom 3 tomorrow as he's been for a while. He doesn't deserve it. That was fantastic.

5. Jordin - "On A Clear Day" was SO GOOD. She is PHENOMENAL. I get what Simon's saying about making it contemporary, but WOW that girl can sing. She looked cute, sounded great. And she IS a magnet of joy! What the heck was with that stupid camera shot of Simon's snickering mug? Spare us all.

6. Gina - "Smile" was very good! She is a beautiful girl. She did a nice job and I like her. She didn't exactly make it her own, but she did a good job. I'm not jumping out of my seat, but I like it.

7. Sanjaya - I wish they'd stop playing it up. Just act normal and let it go. There's some sort of odd movement going on with Dave (votefortheworst host) and Howard Stern to get this guy to win. It's so stupid. Their whole reasoning is that they like to see the crappy singers. Then do what everyone else like you does--watch the auditions and then go watch something else. And, if you really like Sanjaya, then vote for him the way everyone else does, but please don't subject us to this torture. He's getting weirder by the week. It's like watching Michael Jackson's years of strangeness in a much faster and more condensed version to see him every week. It ("Cheek to Cheek") was so high school and he excels at picking songs that really emphasize that. I'm so uncomfortable every week. I think the judges are wise to just praise him and shut up. It's too much. It was weird, awkward, unoriginal, icky, and uncomfortable for me for him. I hope his pseudo-fans are as stupid as they are tone deaf and feel that he's safe enough due to the judges' comments to not vote for him much. Maybe he'll get the boot. I doubt it, but maybe.

8. Haley - She doesn't believe in covered thighs, does she? It ("Ain't Misbehaving") was okay. I mean it wasn't bad, but it WAS pageant-y. And the Bennet clip was hilarious--uh, you can't exactly be doing that for "you and you and you" if you're true to one person. ROTFL! She's so sick of hearing that she looks good since it's a singing competition and I don't blame her, but ugh. She's up against some stiff competition. And be bopping her head around isn't going to make up for that. It's not her fault, but ugh. She could be bottom 3. With Phil and then someone who doesn't deserve to be there.

9. Lakisha - "Stormy Weather" was very good. She looked and sounded amazing. I loved her saucy skirt tug and sassy looks. She's got moxy. That's at least the second time that the guest star has suggested something and she did what she wanted anyway. It comes across as a bit full of herself. Don't get me wrong, she's amazing. But she seems to think she's beyond suggestions from others and quite frankly, Lulu and Tony Bennet have both been right so far, so . . .anyway, it was great.

Tony Bennet is impressive for a man of 80. He really is. It was sweet that he teared up like that. He did a nice job with them.

I don't really miss Sligh. And I won't be missing Phil either--I think he's gone tomorrow.

Great Songs! Great Show!

I knew Tony Bennett night would be a good one. Not only is he a great performer with true staying power, the songs are classics, but I get ahead of myself. Unfortunately I still find myself losing interest in the show in general this season. Well, on with the show!

RANDOM THOUGHTS: Simply put, great songs make performers better. These songs are classics, evidenced by the fact that so many artists have chosen to interpret and reinterpret them over time. So Tony Bennett really likes Sanjaya? Interesting. Nice kid. Kudos to him for working hard each week, but it's sad already. The chuckle of the night happened when Sanjaya went into the crowd and sang directly to a 10-12 year-old girl. He knows his audience. Simon seems to have a hard time with positive emotions, but we've said that before. Is Haley getting cheated on her weekly clothing allowance, because the dresses are getting smaller. How many times did Paula cut off Simon? I bet he gets sick of that sometimes. I grew up listening to these songs, and still choose jazz preferentially so tonight was difficult in a way. I'm so familiar with the great artists that have done these songs, that it's nearly impossible to measure up in my eyes, but there were some pleasant surprises and a couple of "wow's." It seems that we now have to refer to "pitchy problems" rather than someone being simply "pitchy."

BLAKE LEWIS ("Mack the Knife"): Solid all around. I liked the performance aspect especially. He was in tune, showed the style for which people love him, and even interpreted the song pretty well. I don't think he was in the same league as a number of contestants tonight, but he did well enough to keep going.

PHIL STACEY ("Night and Day"): Tony warned him. You've got to have some beat behind the song. All of the good versions of this song are a bit more uptempo. And what the hell was with his voice tonight. At times I thought he was trying to imitate Tony Bennett, but mostly it sounded like his nasal passages were congested. He was out of tune much of the time, like his earlier performances. And to say he's reminiscent of a young Frank Sinatra is really just saying something like, "Didn't Frank Sinatra used to wear suits when he sang?" It doesn't (and shouldn't) mean that Phil actually sounded like Sinatra in the least. And his lame "charisma" act after his performances is so old . . .

MELINDA DOOLITTLE ("I've Got Rhythm"): This is her genre. This is her style. And because of that she shines tonight. That is also part of the reason she starts to get a little stale on other genres. She will probably be an artist similar to Natalie Cole, recording lots of jazz standards, and doing songs here and there with more of a pop feel. I liked the fact that she went uptempo this week. And she is the best overall performer in this competition, by the way.

CHRIS RICHARDSON ("Don't Get Around Much Anymore"): Not bad for learning the song this week. Before the judges said it Stacy and I both said he seemed to put his own style into the song. He was in tune, had fun, and did a solid job. He's been unfairly treated by the voting public in weeks past and I hope he gets his due this week. He seems to be one of the few contestants that really works hard each week to improve his performances. No way he deserves to even smell the bottom three.

JORDIN SPARKS ("On a Clear Day"): Amazing! She did a great job. She gets better and better each week. It's amazing what putting raw talent in with so much positive reinforcement and great coaching can do. I agree with what Simon said about it being a bit old for her, but you can't really begrudge her too much.

GINA GLOCKSEN ("Smile"): One problem with her song selection is that it's been done so many times it's ridiculous. And the edgiest performance of it I've heard recently is Steven Tyler's (yes, the Aerosmith Steven Tyler) version he did on Santana's album. With all that said, Gina did have a solid vocal and it's rough when Simon starts comparing everybody. Her style is different from the others, but she's still a good performer.

SANJAYA MALAKAR ("Cheek to Cheek," alternately "Cheese to Cheese"): Next.

HALEY SCARNATO ("Ain't Misbehavin'"): When you choose to accentuate the way you look so heavily sometimes, the reality is that people may not take you seriously. Doesn't make it right. It's just how it is. Unless Haley brings the performance of her life each week, outfits like tonight will detract from what she has done. Bottom line is that it was a bit like Miss U.S.A., and it wasn't as good as others tonight. Shame on the judges for not coming up with anything better than "Paula, what do you think?" "Green is your color," and "(drool) um (drool) um, heh heh, um (panting) um."

LAKISHA JONES ("Stormy Weather"): It takes some serious nerves to basically say to a 6 decade recording legend, "I'm gonna do what I want, so @#$% you," which is what she did. He said don't do that extra stuff at the end (great idea). She did it anyway (mistake). As great as her performance ended up, that additional "ain't no sunshine when you're gone" took away from the total effect. She started out really out of tune, too. Ultimately she's one of the top talents in this year's competition so she's not going anywhere.

MY TOP 3: Melinda, Jordin, Chris
MY BOTTOM 3: Phil, Sanjaya, Haley
CRYING ABOUT WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN, NIGHT AND DAY: Phil's shiny pate, and his personality, too.

I hope it's more than wishful thinking! The big wild card is how long Sanjaya will stick around. It's anyone's guess at this point.

Top 9 with Tony Bennett!

Is it that time of the week again? Alrighty then...

Ryan's looking spiffy, and Simon's wearing an open collar casual shirt.

Tony sings one of my very genres of music, so I'm looking forward very much to the song selections.

Blake Lewis - 'Mack The Knife' - starts with too soft of an edge, and the ending dweeb-do-wah is also a bit weak, but he holds his own in the middle. A little better than so-so, for me. The judges have nothing bad to say.

Phil Stacey - 'Night & Day' - Phil lives up to Tony's generous assessment of his skills, and delivers a very good rendition. Randy just doesn't know. Paula gives the good news, and despite Simon's incredulity, there is some resemblance to a young Frank Sinatra - I agree, though she's being a bit generous. Better than Blake tonight.

Melinda Doolittle - 'I've Got Rhythm' - Tony names her the best he's heard all day, though who knows where she was in the lineup. Great arrangement and faultless dynamics and delivery. Chills on this one, as usual. Crown her now. The judges agree except for Simon, who feels compelled to offer insightful judgment (he "likes being mean to people"). Poor, useless Simon.

Chris Richardson - 'Don't Get Around Much Anymore' - lousy arrangement and poor song choice, for me. He sang it well enough, but it didn't capture me, personally. The judges completely disagree with me. what.ever I just know what I like. His fans will think I'm mistaken.

Jordin Sparks - 'On A Clear Day' - Hard to compete with the unforgettable version by Barbra, but she doesn't really compete, but gives it her own style. She holds onto it well, and ends dramatically with a chill-giving finish. Very good. I disagree with Simon, and liked it better than Chris' performance. Maybe that means I'm a fan of her and not of Chris. I can live with that. Second best for me so far tonight.

Gina Glocksen - 'Smile' - lovely, big song, with lots of room for spectacular creativity. She does very well, and pulls some chills out of me, but I believe a more talented singer could have brought the house down with this song. I agree with Simon - one of her personal bests, but not on top of this group.

Sanjaya Malakar - 'Dancing Cheek to Cheek' - very first note is off-key. He recovers well, but the usual underkill in his volume is crippling, as usual. Randy's correct in that he is a better entertainer than a singer. Simon is brutally sarcastic, for a "change of tactic?". Hmph.

Haley Scarnato - 'Ain't Misbehavin' - I'm glad Tony straightened her out about the meaning of the song. Phew! In spite of that she still can't resist vamping the crowd and playing the seductress, sending a mixed message. Just okay for me.

Lakisha Jones - 'Stormy Weather' - pretty pitchy at first, but she pulls it together and closes well. However, it just didn't grab me the way I expect it to, coming from her. Somewhat of a low for her, for me. The judges are in love and disagree.


Tops: Melinda, Jordin, and Phil, in that order.

Bottoms: Sanjaya and Haley.

Entertaining elsewhere: Sanjaya, but for the perverse voters.

...John

Top 10 Minus 1 - Gwen Stefani Performs!

Here we go...!

Ryan's Sanjaya hair is a trip! Sanjaya took it with good humor.

Phil and Haley hit rock bottom. Chris or Gina will join them. I'm thinking Sligh.

Gwen gives the best celebrity performance of the season (admittedly not too hard to do, but really, very good).

Sligh slides down to the bottom. Phil is safe, again. I don't know who it will be...

It's Sligh (and the family moaned).

I think this will still give him a leg up if he chooses to continue singing, and I hope he does.

Phil owes him $50 - apparently Chris bet on his own demise with accuracy.

See you next week!...

...John