Ellen Degeneres...

...is hosting Stephanie Edwards today (she's singing right now - and is a little pitchy), and Elliot Yamin tomorrow!

Stephanie's Going Home

So, looking back over my list of best to worst, my second-from-the bottom got the boot. She didn't do well yesterday, but she deserved to be on the tour, vocally anyway. Her personality just wasn't that warm. And those with personality are really Blake and Jordin. Gina's okay, too. Sligh's getting old for me for him. Anyway, I digress.

So, Herman sounded better than Diana Ross. What a shocker. And Lulu? Wow, she sings that song differently than she did in the 60s. I love that song. I miss the old style. If she was going to make it contemporary, she could've let Blake beatbox it. (Blake has single-handedly introduced ALL of America to that term, by the way). Anyway, she sounded better than Diana Ross, too. And she's so cute!

Two things that bugged me about tonight. No, three.

1. Phil's camera mugging and constant cheering. He doesn't know when to stop.

2. Ryan's repeatedly erroneous statement, "You are not in the bottom 3 tonight." Liar! Clearly, he lied to someone. (For those who are mathematically challenged, there are 11 contestants and he only said who the bottom 2 were, so when he said, 'You are not in the bottom 3 tonight" to the other 9 people, he was lying to somebody).

3. Product Placement and Plugs. Hey look, everyone! There's a top 12 again! Brad Garrett has joined us! Isn't that clever? You see, what's happened? Tivo has happened. So, advertisers started sweating the fact that most of America happily fast forwards commercials (except my mom who has seriously said to me, "Those are the best part!" Sorry, Mom, I know that was years ago, but you DID say it), thus totally ignoring the fruits of their money and efforts.

So, what do they do? They put big, giant coke cups on the judges' table. And big red swirls on the floor and walls. They have little Ford vehicles drive right across the TV screen! And they put Brad Garrett in the top 10. It's such an imposition really. I mean, it's being THROWN at us. Even if we choose to not fast forward commercials, at least we can get up, walk out, grab a snack or use the bathroom (but, ewww, so not at the same time), walk back in, and not miss a second of our favorite shows while totally ignoring the commercials (except for my mom who will be sitting there watching every one of them).

But now we see it all while we watch our favorite shows. And I don't like it. It's like an invasion of privacy. Sort of. It's a violation anyway. And it bugs me. Grrrrr.

So, more Haley and more Sanjaya. And they're on the tour instead of Brandon and Stephanie. Harumph.

All in all, not super surprising just the same. Oh! But Chris R. being bottom two--yeah, that WAS surprising really. And interesting.

What I *am* beginning to see is the possibility of a finale between Melinda and Jordin or one of them and Blake . . .

Top 11 minus 1 - Peter & Lulu perform!

Peter Noone's performance was pretty lame, if I may say so...yes, please HUSH!

First group - no surprise - all clear.

Second group - I'll say no problem - correct!

Third Group - possibly the bottom 3 - but no, and Sanjaya is in the group.

Stephanie and Chris R are bottom feeders. Can I pick 'em, or what?


Lulu, in contrast, kicks ass with her rendition of 'To Sir With Love' (though she was screaming it a bit - LOL!).

Stephanie's going bye bye. Chris lucked out, and gets another chance to prove himself.

B'd'ya b'd'ya b'd'ya...That's All Folks!

...John

Goodbyes, Farewells, and a Sayonara

I guess my wish was for Phil to go. Will someone please make him stop screaming?! I was fine with his excitement, but I got tired of the yelling and continued celebration during the "recap" portion of the show. He'll be a fun one on tour! Stephanie Edwards, the pain is over. If you look back at last night's show, Stephanie's performance was exit worthy, but she has the talent to have competed for much longer. Her problem is that she never really showed a part of her personality that made me care. She had no safety net. Melinda Doolittle can come out next week, forget her lyrics, fall down, pass out, wake up during Wednesday's show and still not be voted out because we've established that she's likeable for things other than her singing ability. It's like the Get Out of Jail Free card in Monopoly. Stephanie just never had it.

After tonight, as always, I have unanswered questions. Here they are in no particular order:

1. Wasn't it so cool how the producers listened to me (and half of the American Idol Blogdom out there) and edited in that little crying girl using grainy, black-and-white film footage? OK, that one was more of a statement framed as a question rather than a true question.

2. Where were the Hermits? Hiding out I suppose.

3. Can you fit Lulu into your purse on the airplane?

4. Why aren't they playing up how many people voted this week? Oooh! I know! I know! The stats are flat.

5. Where were the judges tonight? I feel like I hardly saw them.

6. I've asked this before, but if Ryan can rush through the elimination thing, why haven't we done this in past seasons? They could do it like the Powerball on Saturday night. Interrupt the news for a few minutes, watch the ping pong balls, show a little video montage, bada bing, bada boom! Presto! Now back to Chip with Sports.

I was fairly bored tonight, so there weren't many questions floating through my head. I wonder what next week will bring.

Kilroy Was Here!

So the only thing that would have made this night even more authentic would be to have shown that little girl (the one who was crying) using grainy file footage type film. She looked like someone straight from the JFK airport when The Beatles first arrived in the 60s. Classic! Oh, so many things to say. I hope I remember them all!

RANDOM THOUGHTS: The intern must have been doing the directing in the beginning because there were a lot of bad cuts when they introduced the contestants. Now you see them, now you don't! If the performances tell us about the mentors, then back in the day Herman's Hermits and Lulu were infinitely better than Diana Ross was. Their coaching was so much more helpful, and it showed. I can't believe someone actually referenced Kilroy tonight. How authentic! Randy's got a new cosmetic line he's pushing: Yo Factor. Why did Ryan have two mics so conspicuously placed tonight? He looked so dorky, but not as dorky as his toss the cell phone, "Oops! I broke it!" fake runaway routine. Ryan, you're better than this. I feel like I'm watching the Miss U.S.A. pageant (and not in the good way, if there is such a thing) with these Cola-Beverage-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named (but recognized by the swirl and bubbles) questions each week. What would you do for world peace? Sing good.

HALEY SCARNATO ("Tell Him" I paid way too much to be missing this much fabric): But seriously, where the hell are the clothes? No back, no legs, too much heel. This time Simon told us exactly what he was looking at. Overall, a solid performance. She seems more confident, and she must really, really want to go on tour.

CHRIS RICHARDSON ("Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying" after Simon's comments): Peter Noone did a great job with Chris. He is the first one to get Chris to sing the melody. He borrowed one of Daughtry's tricks and brought out the guitar guy. He sang on tune, brought in his own style. Nice. Now if only Chris could stop singing through his nose!

STEPHANIE EDWARDS ("You Don't Have to Say You Love Me," especially since you don't): Ouch! This was a bad night for Stephanie. I have never liked her, but I've never doubted her singing talent. She is just too serious about this thing. Like her Miss U.S.A question. The hardest thing? "Picking the song" is the obvious and boring answer. Spice it up a little. Walking in this dress, sitting on these crappy stools, looking at Simon's mug each week--any of these would show more personality, which is what she needs right now 'cause the singing was off this week. Lulu may be reminded of Beyonce, but sometimes people look at me and are reminded they left the toilet seat up. Memory is a funny thing.

BLAKE LEWIS ("Time of the Season" where we break dance): The judges must have read our blog (and every other blog with any sense) because all of a sudden contemporary and individuality work. Blake made it his own, sang it well, and really "performed." It was a "Cool vibey massive yo factor edgy tasty super size quarter pounder version tonight, dawg!" Simon's right, it is a singing competition as this show was conceived, but Peter Noone hit the nail on the head: it's become more of a voting contest in reality. People should vote for Blake this week.

LAKISHA JONES ("Diamonds are Forever" they are, and if you don't believe me, I'll sing it ad nauseum): Being a huge Bond fan, I was excited at the prospect of a "shaken, not stirred" performance, but this song is not one of the best Bond themes. Lakisha can sing, blah blah blah, but the bling was the most exciting part of the performance. I did enjoy her comeback to Simon. Simon liked it, too.

PHIL STACEY ("Tobacco Row," isn't that in Virginia?): So he had fun up there. He was really feeling it. It was bad. Not terrible, but bad. And his excuses and camera mugging and pathetic kissing up and incorrect math--your number was 6, not 5!--it's old already. He seems to be trying to beg his way into the upper eschelon of this year's contestant pool, but it's not working. You never know who will end up leaving each week, but he's a strong candidate.

JORDIN SPARKS ("I Who Have Nothing" but plenty of years ahead): This was a great performance. She's got some real talent, and it shows. The fact that she's "so excited" doesn't hurt, either. If she can keep it up she'll be a legitimate contender for a while yet. She is definitely the best, young contestant we've had in 6 seasons of A.I. Wow!

SANJAYA MALAKAR ("You Really Got Me" makin' a fool of myself): Hey, if you're going out, go out having fun. When the judges don't even want to make fun of you any more it's a bad sign. I'm actually really shocked that Randy and Simon didn't rip him to shreds up there. Mad props to Sanjaya for having the cajones to do what he did, and to make no apologies for being around. If America, and by "America" I mean that sweet little girl he hugged, wants Sanjaya here, all he can do is keep on keepin' on.

GINA GLOCKSEN ("Paint it Black" and it's still crap): At least the laser show lights were hot! The thing about the Rolling Stones is they can't sing, but they have style. It's not one I particularly care for (and I understand people enjoy it better stoned out of their minds), but they do have "it" or "yo" or "dawg" or whatever it is these days. So, it's not surprising that the song is repetitive, boring, monotonous, loud, tonally impaired, etc., etc. Simon was right (gag!) on this one: it was style over substance tonight. Gina's a better singer than this song showed.

CHRIS SLIGH ("She's Not There" but I'll find her here somewhere): I'm a fan of sauntering about at a leisurely pace. It's good for digestion. But I got distracted very quickly by Chris's stroll through the crowd. He did pick the perfect song. He did sing it well. He did impress me this week. He did wear his glasses. He did fix his hair. He did enough to stick around another week or two.

MELINDA DOOLITTLE ("As Long As He Needs Me" to give him chills, I'll do it): Melinda always gives me chills, even on a song that is a bit boring. I rarely like it when singers choose songs from musicals on non-Broadway nights, but given the lack of Melinda's 1960s global awareness I'll cut her some slack. She is a consummate performer and there is no way she will not have a successful career ahead of her. Even an adequate performance from Melinda beats 99% of what A.I. shows week in and week out. She. Is. Amazing.

MY TOP 3: Blake, Chris S., Melinda/Jordin
MY BOTTOM 3: Sanjaya, Phil, Stephanie
PURCHASING A TICKET TO SEE IDOLS ON TOUR 2007: Phil (you've got a young one at home anyway--enjoy.)

So, the invasion is over. Who will be our casualty tomorrow night? Who will miss out on the opportunity of a lifetime? Tune in tomorrow--

Enough of that.

Top 11

Well, that was much better, wasn't it. And the audience was on one. Geez-a-loo. I like Ryan (always have), but I like sarcastic Ryan. He's getting a bit too cheesy and dweeby for my liking. Too much "Vegasness" in his hosting. Blech. And calling that crying tween to the stage? Were they trying to give that girl an attack?

Haley Scarnato - "Tell Him"
Good song for her, you would think. But eek. It was all over the place and her outfit was distracting (Is she wearing a bra? How does one wear a bra in a shirt like that?). The look on her face after Simon's comment tells me she knows full well what she's doing when she wears those ridiculously short outfits. I think she likes her legs. And her back.

Chris Richardson - "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying"
It got better throughout. I don't really care for Chris. For some reason, I can't get into him. Not sure what it is. But I can give credit where it's due--he did a good job.

Stephanie Edwards - "You Don't Have To Say You Love Me"
What. Did she do. To that song? She was off. I haven't ever liked her. It's not her "fun" that's "missing" (I mean, has that ever shown up? Does it even exist?). I say it again. She's got the LaToya London syndrome. She thinks she's better than everyone else. Nothing wrong with confidence, but cockiness? It kicked LaToya right out of the competition. It kicked LaToya's CD (according to a reliable source) right to the .99 cent rack. A .99 cents, by the way, my friend couldn't bring herself to spend. Could Steph Stink Eye be on the way out?

Blake Lewis - "Time of a Season"
That was a PERFECT match for his voice! He's PERFECT for that genre. And his performance was HOT. I LOVE him. Very good, very sexy, very fitting, very likeable, very, very top 2 for me for him. This guy is a musician and a singer and a performer and he is tops. I can't really put this better than Randy, so I'll just repeat: "This week, you've put together a very cool, vibey, edgy, massive yo factor version of a song!" What could I possibly add to that?

LaKisha - "Diamonds are Forever"
She should've listened to Lulu and sung the other song. It was monotonous, old, boring, and a bit too Broadway for me. Though I love her comeback to Simon (so did he). Lakisha was actually bottom 6 for me tonight.

Phil Stacey - "Tobacco Row"
He has quite a range. It was a bit pitchy. I agree with Simon about him needing more "grit." Every time I start liking Phil, he kisses up to America and it BUGS me. "Did you enjoy it? I love singing for you." Bleh. Just sing, shut up, and hold up your fingers. I was liking it until he opened his mouth with that comment. I don't, however, agree with Simon about his insinuation that Phil could be headed out tomorrow. I mean, bottom 3 maybe, but if there's any mercy at all in this competition, Sanjaya will go and spare him and us all. Mind you, I thought that before hearing him sing tonight.

Jordin Sparks - "I Who Have Nothing"
"I'm So Excited!" How could anyone NOT like her?! And, while we're at it, Lulu is SO freaking adorable. Jordin is hands down the BEST "youngest contestant" this show has EVER had. That was PHE-freaking-NOMENAL. She's 17?! She's AMAZING! And so stinking cute. "Omigosh, that was so empowering and I don't even have a boyfriend!" LOL! You go, girl!

Sanjaya Malakar - "You Really Got Me"
What in the bloody hell was that? That was bloody awful, that's what that was. British Invasion indeed. To the pained girl crying in the audience: "Oh, Honey, I know. I'm crying, too. It hurts, doesn't it. Just try to block it out and have a nice glass of warm milk before bed tonight and think happy thoughts."

Gina Glocksen - "Paint It Black"
She was off. And you know it's bad when Randy starts with, "Gina, Gina, Gina, you having fun?" While we're on the topic of "fun," IS it about fun?? I get SO sick of the phrase almost always preceded by a shrug, "Well, I had fun!" As if that's enough to make us forget or not mind all the awful notes. Ohhhhh! She had fun! Well then, who cares about all of those sucky notes and uncomfortable moments! Singing competition? Bah! She had fun!! Can you hand me the phone, dear? Give me a break. What a better response would be, I don't know, but ANYTHING is better than (shrug), "Well, I had fun!" It's Season 6. Please someone come up with something better than that. Or at least something else.

Chris Sligh - "She's Not There"
That was great! Perfect on him (except for the jumping around on the stage part which would've been fine if it hadn't winded him for the next part of the song). I agree with Simon that he worked the audience fine and did indeed not need to "lick them." I kind of like hearing Simon talk Randy. "You did your thing." Well then. All right!

Melinda Dolittle - "As Long As He Needs Me"
I got chills and it was fantastic, no question. I'd like to see her do some fun stuff to mix it up. She always sings with such conviction and power that I don't want that to get old. She could sing the phone book and the look in her eye would say that in her heart of hearts and in the deepest depths of her soul she really DOES believe that if you feel you've been poorly treated by a medical professional, you really should call Schulster, Simon, and Schulster. 10 more weeks of that might get tiring and I really don't want to tire of her, because I like her a lot. Let's see some more "W-O-M-A-N!" Oh, and I think it's hilarious that Simon's in shock over meeting such a genuinely nice person. Though I know it's not the first time. Remember Season 5? Elliott? Yeah, it's my post, so I can make whatever shameless plugs I want. We got his CD today and it's fantastic and HE'S fantastic. LOVE it. Oh, and love Melinda, too.

Here's my ranking for tonight:

Jordin/Blake (Toss up for me)
Melinda
Chris R
Chris Sligh
Lakisha
Phil Stacey
Gina
Haley
Stephanie
Sanjaya

Bottom 3 - Same as my list: Haley, Stephanie, and Sanjaya
If there's any mercy at all, leaving is Sanjaya so that there's at least a decent touring Top 10.

Top 11 - The British Invasion!

Hi all!

Sanjaya must have heard of my Michael Jackson remark...now he's wearing a half-glove?

Simon undressed?! Please, no, Paula! If that's what she thinks about, no wonder she needs 'medicinals'... ; )

The British Invasion, eh? Isn't Simon enough?

Haley Scarnato - It was just okay for me. One of her better performances, but I didn't like the song choice as much as Randy and Paula. As dirty ol' Simon noted, her outfit helped her out a lot.

Chris Richardson - 'Don't Let The Sun Catch You Cryin' - one of my favorite songs - he starts off very weak and stays there until near the end...ramps it up to where he should have started off, and lets it die. Not good, for me. Someone singing in the dorm shower. Randy and Paula see something different. Even Simon liked it. Am I in a bad mood, or being too picky? No! This is American IDOL! You'll see what I mean when Melinda hits the stage...

Stephanie Edwards - 'You Don't Have To Say You Love Me' - another favorite, and another weak start, though she recovers fairly quickly, and takes it up a notch in the bridge. Bringing it up a notch makes her pitchy, though. A little better than Chris R and Haley. Finally the judges seem to be hearing what I'm hearing. Are they more forgiving of Chris R and Haley based on personality?

Blake Lewis - I hope for something interesting on this. 'Time Of The Season' - Good song choice if he can handle the register changes. I like it! Gives me some chills. Just enough beatbox. A smidge pitchy in spots, but overall, the best so far tonight. Paula seems to agree, by her gestures. Randy loved it, too. Simon, too, approves, even if he can't say he 'enjoyed' it. Is he capable of such a thing? Now we know why Ryan is an emcee and not a performer. Yikes!

Lakisha Jones - 'Diamonds Are Forever' - Combined with her outfit, I think it was a great song choice for showcasing her big voice. She could have used her performance for the sound track. Perfect, and lots of chills. Randy's hard on the would-be winner, but Paula makes up for it. Simon ages her along with the song, which seems absurd to me. I'm glad she can shrug it off. Randy finally gives some concrete advice about risking some runs, which she could have done.

Phil Stacey - 'Tobacco Road' - Good song choice, and he owns it pretty well. He risked losing some of his connection with the audience by running around a bit much at times, but hung in there and ended very well. Randy and Paula like it, and, of course, Simon is more critical. There's some truth in that Phil could use some grit in his voice for that song, but I don't think it's as bad as Simon says (oooo - Simon says - let's not play, shall we?).

Jordin Sparks - She's so excited! - 'I Who Have Nothing' - Lulu wants her to scream...let's see how that goes over. This is a big song, and she's a wee bit shakey until the bridge, but she really owns it from there on. Very, very good! Actually better than Lakisha tonight, and Randy agrees. Paula likes it, and Simon is disturbed because the song made him feel something. That's the point, you rube!!!

LOL at the few non-positive Brits moving over here!

Sanjaya Malakar - Wild side? This should be different. 'You Really Got Me' - OMG, the teeniebopper crying in the audience makes it clear where his votes are coming from! It's a glimmer of the Beatles effect on the female population, and he definitely picked the right song to change his image! Completely different performer, and the judges agree. Simon sees dollar signs in the tearful teeniebopper, and is completely satisfied. If he can keep it up, he'll stay in the top 6, where that performance put him. Quite a jump up the ranks!

Gina Glocksen - Gina's looking very hot tonight. Let's see if her performance matches, and she presents better than she did in the interview with Ryan. 'Paint It Black' - She starts pretty far off key, but gets back quickly. She doesn't have the tension in her body to project the song with the power it needs. She definitely improves towards the end, but it wasn't enough for me. Simon overkills the criticism, but there's some truth in what he says.

Chris Sligh - I'm thinking he'll do well with this theme. 'She's Not There' - a pretty limited song, with a lot of repetitive words and chords. But Sligh OWNS the song, and connects well with the audience. Very good, but not the best tonight, which is what Simon finally pronounces, as well.

Melinda Doolittle - saving the best for last, eh? Good move, and they know it. 'As Long As He Needs Me' - another favorite of mine, and very challenging, but if anyone can do it, Melinda can. Right from the start, her enunciation and phrasing are excellent. Starting seated, she is clearly aiming for a 'moment', which is very ambitious with this song. But she pulls it off and makes the teeniebopper and me both tearful. Simon's 'impeccable' is the right word.


My tops for the night: Melinda, Jordin, Sanjaya (believe it or not), and Lakisha, in that order.

My bottoms for the night: Stephanie, Haley, Gina, Chris R, in rough order.

Letting the sun catch him crying: Chris R, though the judges think differently.

Later days!

...John

I Think Goosebumps are Good.

Hallelujah, it's my favorite part of this show - theme weeks and top 12! Okay, let's start with random thoughts and questions.

1. Have the judges always had those skinny mics on their table? Those seemed new.
2. Diana Ross. Sigh. She seems nice at least, but bleh songs, if you ask me. GSITKU or not.
3. How cute that Ryan's Nana was there tonight.
4. Randy Jackson is so *#$#%@ condescending! And it really irritates me.

BRANDON ROGERS - "Can't Hurry Love"
Blechy song. Snore. I cannot believe that someone hasn't said, "Melinda has proven herself as a back up singer who should be up front. You have not." He just doesn't have it. He hasn't the WHOLE TIME either! I'm not shocked that Sanjaya made it into the top 12. I'm shocked that Brandon has! It reminds me of Anwar - great guy, great singer, great smile, but just not cut out for the stage. Is he sick? It was flat. He was drowned out. He forgot his lyrics right after that John Travolta leg move. I'll grant him that it's GOTTA be rough to be first, but ugh. He is polite!

MELINDA DOOLITTLE - "Home"
She's genuine and phenomenal. What more really needs to be said? Yes, Melinda, I think goosebumps are good. Just crown her now.

CHRIS SLIGH - "Endless Love"
I'm gonna go ahead and disagree with the judges. I rather liked his interpretation of the song. I liked it even more than (gasp!) Blake's. They're just different. Blake's was more techno and Sligh's was more contemporary. I love the U2 piano syncopation during his song. He's a musician and he did a great job, very original. Geez, judges. They can't make up their minds. Don't be a copycat. Oh wait, DO be a copycat. Don't be original. That's what we meant.

GINA GLOCKSEN - "Love Child"
So, Miss Ross thinks she should "pronunciate." Okay. Great choice. I really liked it.

SANJAYA MALAKAR - "Ain't No Mountain High Enough"
Argh. He's just too quiet and sweet for this. Gotta give him A LOT of credit though because this was his best performance so far and it was on the big stage, so big props for that. And see what I mean about Randy? He laughs, sighs, groans, laughs, tears the kid down (again), and then says, "But your hair is rockin'!" Fool. He sounds like an ignorant baboon when he does that. Just stick to the music and shut up. Grrrrrr. And the dumbing down of America was apparent tonight, was it not? Let's have a lesson on homonyms, shall we? Whale vs. Wail. One is a mammal of the sea. One is a scream or cry. Apparently, most Americans are NOT smarter than a 5th grader. So you can just skip the next show.

HALEY SCARNATO - "Missing You"
Other than forgetting the skirt that goes with that shirt that was tied with a big ribbon under her backside, she did pretty well! Very nice emotion and stage presence. I was surprised, because before tonight's show, I pretty much thought she'd be the next one to go. She does have a great studio voice. She forgot the lyrics (urgh). Those squats made me VERY nervous. Why in the world would anyone choose that night and that stage to wear something so dangerously short?? In high heels no less! Have you read these people's interviews on the American Idol site? They all fall! She showed some personality tonight and I think people will warm up to that. She may not even be in the bottom 3. And yay to Simon for remembering her name.

PHIL STACEY - "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me"
Is he? I haven't been liking Phil recently, but tonight he did a nice job!

LAKISHA JONES - "God Bless the Child"
Okay, well the finale is set. Melinda and LaKisha. That was fantastic! Great control, great vocals, great look. Well done!

BLAKE LEWIS - "You Keep Me Hanging On"
I love Blake. But for me that was good, not great. And that jacket flippy thing? A little overdone. But it's true what Simon says, he'll be fine. Did you hear the audience? I think it's going to be a challenge for him when it comes to song selections if they keep having horrible weeks like this one. Diana Ross??

STEPHANIE EDWARDS - "Love Hangover"
Or something. That was pitchy all over the place. I haven't ever really liked her and apparently the judges don't either. And you know what? She is royally pissed off, because she thinks she's a diva and that she's in the running with Melinda, Kiki, and company. But America has news for her--we didn't like LaToya either. The attitude is WAY too off-putting.

CHRIS RICHARDSON - "The Boss"
Damn. I thought he meant he was going to screw the theme week all together and sing some Springsteen. I know I haven't ever been a big fan, but he's already getting old for me. That sneer thing he does when he sings? Yawn. He's good, but it's old already. It was pitchy. I do give him credit, though, for making it his own without messing too much with the integrity of the song, which tonight came across much smoother than Sligh's or Blake's efforts.

JORDIN SPARKS - "If We Hold On Together"
She is the complete antithesis of Stephanie Edwards. And that's why we like her. How can you help BUT like her?! Wow! That was some mad praise. And she accepts it so adorably. Dang, 3 girls pushing for the top spot! Way. To. Go.

Magistra is right about that old Stink Eye. Competitors beware. I think Stephanie is TICKED off.

Tops tonight for me: Lakisha and Melinda
Bottom 3 tonight for me: Brandon, Sanjaya, and Chris Richardson

Bottom 3 predictions: Brandon, Stephanie, and Sanjaya
Going Home: Brandon

The Big Big Stage

We finally made it to the really big stage, and a lot of the contestants looked like they wanted to run back to Little Big Stage. Lackluster is the word I'd use for tonight, with a few notable exceptions.

RANDOM THOUGHTS: So, Taylor, Ruben, Clay, and a few others weren't good enough to warrant inclusion in the opening montage. Thanks for the memories guys. You've had your day in the sun. The Dog tried to use every cliche he knows . . . in the first 30 seconds! My new "favorite" may be "in it to win it." Maybe because it rhymes. I'm easily amused sometimes. Randy was asking a lot of questions like "how do you think you did" tonight. Not a good sign at all. I was glad to see the cast of "Bones" in the audience tonight. They've gotta find some way to get around us fast forwarding the Tivo during commercials. This may be Diana Ross night, but any Marvin Gaye connection seemed to be worth a few compliments. There goes that crazy Brit giving us lessons in English again in the form of near homophone pair whale and wail. Diana Ross should be in the same class as Stevie Wonder as far as songs that must not be sung on A.I. I think the judges were waiting for a Diana-like performance, but then no one can sing like her, no one. So, Catch-22, here we come. At least she was very kind to the contestants. I was glad to see that.

BRANDON ROGERS ("Can't Hurry Love" but please hurry the song): This guy just blends into the background. He has talent, but for whatever reason he looks ill at ease in the forefront. He did seem very nervous tonight, and it's tough to be first in a new venue. I don't like the song in the first place, and he didn't make me love it any more tonight.

MELINDA DOOLITTLE ("Home," from The Wiz, not the good one by Michael Buble or the other good one by Chris Daughtry): I'm with Simon--I think the song is boring but Melinda made me like it. She is incredible. She seems like she shocks herself each week. At some point she needs to realize that she is IT and can win this thing if she keeps things fresh. Ricky Minor sure was digging the performance! And all the guys are wearing sneakers, so she should, too! And Simon, that feeling you were trying to shrug off with poor humor and juvenile antics? You were being moved!

CHRIS SLIGH ("Endless Love" with a loveless end): I'm a bit upset. Chris did a very cool arrangement and got no love for it. Even if the judges didn't like the arrangement because it's a Diana joint and sing it like it is and don't touch the arrangement, blah, blah, blah, they have to give him props for originality. "Be original" they say. "Hey, stick with the original" they say next week. Boo! Most of Chris's fans probably know this as the song being lip synced by the Zamboni driver on Happy Gilmore, so this version will top whatever impression they've had up until now. Regardless of the judges' comments, Chris's fans will love it!

GINA GLOCKSEN (The children's classic "Love Child"): She was edgy, and good enough, but a bit boring for my liking. It was the right song for her, and she didn't do anything to deserve being booted this week. I was a bit disappointed that she didn't pronunciate very well. She didn't really enunciate either for that matter. But it's not like Diana Ross has the best diction in the world!

SANJAYA MALAKAR ("Ain't No Mountain High Enough" to project his voice): Sanjaya gets drowned out by the backgrounds and band each week. He's a sweet kid, and he has a great voice, and this week was actually his best. I was disappointed in the way Randy treated him. He can be so condescending, and this does nothing to improve any performer's skills. And even if his hair is the dopest, don't mention it after raking him through the coals and laughing at him. Low class all around.

HALEY SCARNATO ("Missing You" kind Randy): Haley was so nervous our television was actually shaking before, during, and after her performance. But all in all she did a pretty good job. I'll admit that it was better than I expected. Less Belle, more good. I was glad to see Simon give her some praise, and after the negativity from the other stooges Haley looked a bit shocked. I'm also glad we didn't have a Brittney Spears moment with that dress. Yikes, that was close!

PHIL STACEY ("Love and Affection" and something else nice): Phil started out better than he usually does, sang the low notes more in tune, and screamed less. Notice I didn't say "not at all?" Overall it was a nice performance from him and he should be safe another week. I feel like I'm playing "She loves me, she loves me not" with Phil each week. This week, "I liked it."

LAKISHA JONES ("God Bless the Child" and Kiki, too): Wow! This is a two-woman contest right now. It's early, and crazy things happen, but Lakisher and Melinder are in a different class by themselves. The trick is to keep improving and keep it fresh. I was worried in the early weeks that Lakisha might end up being like Mandisa: a lot of power and screaming. But Kiki has proven herself as of late.

BLAKE LEWIS ("You Keep Me Hanging On" wishing no one ever sang this song): Now, I'm a Blake fan, and I'm glad he went original on us. But why did he get praise for the attempt while Paula took a second shot at Sligh? I don't see a huge enough difference in the two tries to do that. It was an okay performance tonight, but Blake definitely did not put out one of his best efforts tonight. And I would rather see Blake go out early, but hang on to his originality than see him conform for the judges. I don't see that being a problem, really.

STEPHANIE EDWARDS ("Love Hangover," but I wish I had the real thing right now): So she looked mad again. Stephanie, don't get mad, just sing well. She was pitch all over the place, and the song is boring. Don't blame the arrangement, because that's you, too. On the one hand I cringe when contestants say things like "I really forgot my lyrics" or "I sang like Randy on Xanax" or "Why do you keep voting me through when I stink like this," but I liked how many people sincerely took credit or blame for what happened tonight. Stephanie will win more supporters if she knocks the chip off her own shoulder before someone does it to her.

CHRIS RICHARDSON ("The Boss," but not Springsteen): If you had "Chris Richardson in the first week" in your office "first person on the risers behind the jugdes" pool, you collect the pot tonight. Well, Diana told him to work the audience. Can I just tell you how I hate that little stage behind the judges. So few people make it work, and so many more just lose their breath trying to smile, sing, mug for the camera, shake hands, kiss Paula, climb the steps, remember your lyrics and not to fall, sing a bit, run down the stairs, climb back up on the stage 4 beats too late, and then almost pass out at the end. Chris did maintain his style, and didn't embarrass himself. That's it.

JORDIN SPARKS ("If We Hold On Together" little dinosaurs will have a happy ending): I'm not ready to put her with Melinda and Lakisha, but Jordin was really good tonight. The performance was a bit "young," but I suppose that's okay since Jordin is a teen-ager. One thing is for sure--she can sing! I can see her being a major factor in this year's competition as long as she keeps improving with each week. It will be interesting to see how she progresses through this season.

MY QUICK HITS
BRANDON: Slow start, quick exit.
MELINDA: Whaddya say to skipping this whole thing and cutting an album now?!
CHRIS S.: Your fans will love tonight, but you need your glasses back.
GINA: Congratulations! You've survived Diana Ross week!
SANJAYA: Would somebody please turn up the volume on this guy?!
HALEY: Simon loves me! He really loves me!
PHIL: Cue him up for another week.
LAKISHA: You can skip this thing, too if you want.
BLAKE: I think I'm suffering from BBDS (Beatbox Deficiency Syndrome).
STEPHANIE: Want some dip with that chip?
CHRIS R.: Less "working" next week, more singing.
JORDIN: And you're only 17?

MY TOP THREE: Lakisha, Melinda, Chris S.
MY BOTTOM THREE: Stephanie, Sanjaya, Chris R.
FINDING STRENGTH IN ADVERSITY: Sanjaya

I'm interested to see how voting goes now that the guys and girls are consolidated. I also hope this week cures the judges of their "Girls vs. Guys" mentality. It's everyone for his or herself from now on. It's on now!

Finally!

So we finally have a Top 12. There were a few surprises that weren't really surprises, and the usual assortment of Ryan's "psyche" moments! They're mean, by the way. Anyway, here is a list of "highlights" from tonight's show.

*In a surprise twist America has decided to ditch Antonella and instead keep Haley, another contestant that hasn't really shown us much to this point. It just goes to show how extremely negative comments from the judges can provoke the fans.
*Sadly, I was right about Sabrina Sloan. She just didn't ever evoke an emotional response for me. I know she's a talented singer, but no yo!
*Simon decided to give his traditional "you just don't sing well" send-off to the losers of tonight.
*Paula actually identified the undeserving male singer in the bunch by name (Sanjaya) and then added the oh-so-helpful, "nothing against you" to throw us off the track.
*We were treated to another emotionless, robotic performance by Carrie Underwood, reminding us why we grew to love her so much during her A.I. run. At least fame hasn't changed her any. And at least couldn't they have chosen a better song for her to sing tonight?
*It was announced that we will be treated to the diverse and fantastic world of Dianna Ross next week.
*We were told that 36 million people voted over the past two nights. That's just over 1 vote per viewer. Who says it's unfair, John?
*A.I. Gives Back was announced and we saw Ryan and Simon visiting impoverished children in Africa. I think this is a really cool idea. Sending Cowell there was probably good for the guy. He can use a little more depth in his life.

Here's what I'd like to see next week, aside from the obvious desire for good performances:

1. Brandon Lewis actually brings some yo and it with him.
2. The guys finally perform well enough so the judges don't have to keep saying how rotten the guys are compared to the girls this week.
3. Ryan sticks to suits and shuns turtlenecks.

I am really interested to see how everyone does with the themes each week. It's one thing when you can pick any song, but quite another when you are limited.

I always love getting into the finals because theoretically the performances get better, and we get to see the cream rise to the top. Plus next week we'll be back home watching on the Tivo, so I may actually get half of the
song titles right. Oh! And they put the titles on the screen! That will probably help a little, but I make no guarantees.

Your Top 12, America

So, it's the usual, isn't it? A Top 12 with the obvious first 2 to get the boot (Haley and Sanjaya) and the others doing the tour. My favorite part of the evening, truth be told, is the big announcement. It's about time a show of this magnitude step up like that. I think it's fantastic and I'm all the prouder to be a fan of this show. I bet that trip was good for Simon. I enjoyed the clips. Having lived in Africa myself, I know those kids. The announcement brought tears to my eyes. I think it's great.

Blake needs shorter cuffs. I thought he'd broken both arms. But I'm thrilled (and not surprised) that he's top 12.

Blake, Lakisha, Sligh, and Doolittle. Duh. No-brainers.

I still fall for Ryan's antics--he can get my tummy flipping with his "You are NOT . . . [big pause] . . . ." He made me nervous with Sligh. PHA-EW! I mean with this show, who knows?!

Jared Cotter. I'm sad. I like him. Darn it. I wonder how it would be for people like him, Nikko Smith, Rickey Smith, and other ousted idols to get together and form a band like "Take 6." That's be awesome.

Carrie Underwhere is not likeable and is getting too skinny. What happened to her healthy weight?

Antonella's not in the Top 12?! That's a shocker really. But good. I'm so glad I don't have to hear her again. She reminds me of someone who sings along to the radio and belts it out thinking they sound just like the voice coming out of the speakers when in reality, they don't. She's already been offered $250,000 by the "Girls Gone Wild" people and Playboy is after her, too. I think she'll be okay. Ta-tas (pun totally intended).

Haley vs. Sabrina. Crap. That is just SO wrong. Mary Poppins over a dang good diva. And if one of those two good "middles" is getting the boot, I would've preferred Stephanie, to be honest. Her LaToya like-ness is off putting.

Again, VERY cool project. April 24th and 25th. I think it's great. Way to go, American Idol people.

Sanjaya vs. Sundance--good set up. Either one getting in is a shock at this point, truth be told. I love Sundance's plea, "Somebody, give me a job!" Maybe Fuel is still looking for a lead singer.

Top 8 Girls

Well, the top 6 are pretty clear in my opinion. Yet we'll see if Salmonella gets an undeserved spot while another languishes in obscurity. Ever since they've switched from Top 10 to Top 12, there have been 2 obvious out-of-their-leaguers. Sigh. And Ryan? Ditch the turtleneck.

Jordin Sparks - Is she running out of breath again? She's not quite hitting all the notes, but overall it's very good and I really like her. She looks beautiful. What exactly was she drawing on her chest during the numbers?

Sabrina Sloan - These songs are flying by! I'm excited for 3-minute songs! Very solid performance.

Salmonella - Well, she can play violin! Yikes, it's off, she's too timid, and then she shouts so loudly there's mic feedback. Not good (though that's not surprising). The song is more her style though. I'll give her that. One of her better weeks, but it's still not great and it's frankly not good enough. She has such little belief in herself and it's so apparent. It was classy of Simon to mention the media and how she's handled it. I feel such conflicting things about Antonella all at the same time. On the one hand, urgh, she's not very good! But hey, THEY put her there against all those powerhouses. Remember Marisa? The one who didn't get the spot that Antonella did. Boy, I bet she's pissed.

Anyway, Antonella's there, so what's she going to do, step down? She keeps getting voted through so what's she going to do, not sing (I know that's debatable, but let's focus)? So, the media thing--another URGH. She's the one who TOOK the pictures. But yeah, it's pretty cheap that someone sold them to the media (but DUH on her part for taking them and having them at large like that). I was glad that Paula got the focus back to "a warm place" because they'd grilled her enough and heck, I, was getting uncomfortable.

But what BUGS me is Salmonella's defensiveness (though, again, gotta feel for her and the immense psychological pressure she must be under to A. have her breasts and butt all over the internet and TV (though again she DID take the pictures and I bet she at least gets a modeling or advertising gig from the frenzy) and B. sing in a competition against the likes of Doolittle and LaKisha). She keeps talking nonsense! Last week she said, "Hey, they were wrong about Jennifer Hudson" and this week she's saying stupid things like, "I wish the judges would stop comparing me against the others and just base it on me." Uh, number one, basing it on you alone reveals the same outcome (you're not that good a singer). And number two, it's a *%&%# competition! What the heck do you think you signed up for?? Gibberish. Take Simon's nice comment, let America vote, and stop talking. You're coming across as whiny.

If America has any sense they'll put her (and all of America) out of her misery and not vote her through.

Haley Scarnato - She's a Disney/Broadway/showgirl kind of singer. Not for this. Poor Haley. And stupid Simon. It's HIS fault he doesn't know her name, not hers. Idiot.

Stephanie Edwards - We already have a Fantasia and if you recall, she raced past the impeccable but presumptuous LaToya so Steph better watch her step. She's coming across as arrogant and that's just not endearing to America. She couldn't have told us something else about herself? I can let Mark comment on this since he's all fired up about it. Stephanie is LaToya-like cocky. Do I need to give my speech on the difference between confident and cocky? Okay. Confident is knowing you're good. Cocky is thinking you're better than everyone else and thinking of others as "less than." Confident is good. Cocky is not. She's got mad talent, but the higher-than-others sense of self may hurt her.

***You can gauge the likability of the contestants by how warm/close Ryan is with them. There's distance whenever he's with Stephanie. Reminds me of someone . . . who is it . . . oh yeah! LaToya.

LaKisha - That girl has Whitney chutzpah! At this point, anyone who sings Whitney is either crazy, deranged, or incredibly good. We all know what LaKisha is. Nice hair! She looks gorgeous! Wow, she gives me chills! She has "Yo." That was another class act moment for Simon to compliment the way she looked. Every once in a while, there's a glimmer of humanity in him.

***PET PEEVE. If it's a family show, why do they have inappropriate commercials during the family show? 24?? Are you kidding me?!***

Gina Glocksen - I love it, to be honest. I like her. And woohoo, Simon likes her, too.

Melinda Doolittle - I love that she's OCD!! Her range is fabulous! Her low notes are spot on and her high notes are powerfully on, too! No one else can boast that. She is far and away better than all the rest. This reminds me of season 3. It was sort of a weird season - you simply watch every other contestant get voted off waiting for Fantasia to be officially crowned victor. This season's AI is the same. I think she's got it in the bag. It'll be an all-girl finale. Her and somebody (probably LaKisha) and then she'll win. I love how she worked the stage, sang TO the back up singers, and threw down the idol gauntlet. Even with an in-your-face song like W-O-M-A-N, she brought tears to my eyes. Seriously. I love her. She's so genuine. She'd be a fun friend. I love her! Phenomenal!

Bottom 2: Salmonella and Haley
Tops: Melinda and LaKisha

No question.

So who's the odd one out?

You know it will happen. Ever since they've had this Top 12, even guys and girls format one undeserving guy and one undeserving girl get in. Who will it be this year? And who will be the one left out (besides the other one, who actually should be left out).

RANDOM THOUGHTS: Ryan looks like that guy Dieter from the old SNL "Sprockets" sketch. "And now comes the part where we dance!" Kinda creepy. Well, we only found a little yo, but there were wow, whatzit, and whatchamacalit sightings tonight. Two minutes. That's how long we had to wait for Randy to tell us the guys were awful and the girls are great. Maybe that's why I'm having a tough time getting into this season. Simon with the open collar--interesting, and a bit weird. So Stephanie's been singing since she was 3, and she was shy but now she's really confident on stage. How interesting. And self-aggrandizing. C'mon. Give us something more surprising than fodder for a worst auditions show. So Simon is a bit perturbed by Jennifer Hudson's comments? Would it hurt Simon at all to learn a few of the contestants' names. First? Surname? We're not picky.

I've lost interest in even trying to properly title the songs, but here are my thoughts anyway.

JORDIN SPARKS ("Heartbreaker"): Pat Benetar had her moments, and she even deserves to be remembered from time to time, but far too few idols have had good experiences with her songs. Jordin did well and showed that she belongs in the Top 12, but I didn't feel like it was much more than solid tonight. 3/5 yo's.

SABRINA SLOAN (Some song for a big voice): Sabrina was less screechy tonight, but I was underwhelmed. Again, still someone who deserves to be in the Top 12. Part of me wonders if she'll be the deserving one that is left out. Her personality is so vanilla for me. 3.5/5 yo's.

ANTONELLA BARBA ("Let Your Hair Down"): First of all, big props to Simon for mentioning the bunk press Antonella's been getting. For as much as I feel she doesn't deserve to be in the competition at this point, she's getting the raw deal over those pictures. They were in poor taste, but get over it already! With that said, she gave it her all tonight, and it was her best performance to date, but it just wasn't good enough. 2/5 yo's.

HALEY SCARNATO (Another huh song): She seemed more herself, but she is the Sisyphus of this competition. She can keep pushing, but Simon's made up his mind. Honestly, she would be better served as a sort of niche performer at a theme park or hotel lobby. She'd do well, and people would be glad they saw her. 2.5/5 yo's.

STEPHANIE EDWARDS (Some Chaka joint): This girl can sing, but Simon is right: no originality. I listen each week with an open mind, but come away feeling like I've been let down. Stephanie has talent, but the charismer is lacking for me. 3.5/5 yo's, and I'll throw in 1 whatzit for kicks.

LAKISHA JONES ("I Have Nothing"): Another overdone song on A.I. At least Lakisha did it. And what a job it was! She did great. She has set herself apart as one of the ones to beat. She's got the posse with personality. I wonder if she'll make the Top 12. 4.5/5 yo's, and one wow and an it, too.

GINA GLOCKSON (Scream, yeah, what was that?): So, I guess this is her, huh. To be honest, before she performed I thought the whole "edgy" thing was a label she got because of the pink hair, and that she really didn't have an edgy side, but it seems I was wrong. I really didn't like her performance at all tonight. I think she has more talent than she showed, and she needs to rein it in a little. She should make it to the Top 12, but it will be interesting to see how far she can go. 3.5/5 yo's.

MELINDA DOOLITTLE ("I Am a Woman"): If she keeps singing like that she can be whatever she wants. At this point she is far and away the best singer in the competition. Her stage presence is amazing. Her vocal range is astounding. Her attitude is phenomenal. 5/5 yo's, and whatever else she wants!

MY QUICK HITS
JORDIN: Seventeen? Are you sure?
SABRINA: I'm bored with you now
ANTONELLA: Next time just say, "if America wants me."
HALEY: Aren't you tired of punching the clock?
STEPHANIE: Don't you do animal sounds or something else interesting?
LAKISHA: So your father must be the sedated one of the bunch?
GINA: As long as you don't wear your bathrobe next week . . .
MELINDA: Wanna skip this show and cut the record now?

MY TOP 3: Melinda, Lakisha, someone else
MY BOTTOM 3: Antonella, Haley, Stephanie(?)
WISHING IT WAS 4 GUYS AND 8 GIRLS: Haley and Sabrina

It should be Antonella, but she's getting a spot. Sabrina hasn't shown enough personality outside of her singing, and despite the judges' insistence that this is a singing competition, we all know it's more of a high school popularity contest, and a little singing, too. I hope I'm wrong.

Top 16! - 8 Girls

Jordin Sparks - Heartbreaker - challenging song, but she seems up to it! Great energy, and the judges liked it, though Simon plays the reserved professional...or reserved Brit.

Sabrina Sloan - Better tonight at not pushing the song, but doesn't quite get a grip on the song. I think she lost synch with the band at one point, which the judges seem not to have noticed. I agree with Randy that I'd like to hear a more melodious song by which to gauge her abilities.

Antonella Barba - Pitchy in spots, and uninspiring. It seems she saved it all for the last note, and even that wasn't held long enough. Simon is straightforward, but I agree that she seems played out, and unlikely to rise to, or in, the competition.

Haley Scarnato - By far her best performance. This is the first time I've really liked her. It was almost very good, but missed the 'it' factor. Simon is brutally honest, but not really too far off base about her chances.

Stephanie Edwards - Starts very well, but doesn't handle the low register well. The last note was actually on, but the chorus was off on that note. Up there with Jordin tonight, for me. Simon likes her better than Randy and Paula, and so do I, but I think she needs to take it up a notch.

Lakisha Jones - Starts with a hug from Ryan...awww. Big song with a great arrangement, and she fills it completely. Best tonight, by far, so far, and a brilliant soft ending instead of a scream. And her hair looks gorgeous! A big improvement over last week, and a definite top 12.

Gina Glockson - Not my style, and some oversinging, but energetic and connected with the edgy genre. Not the best, but will make it to the top 12.

Melinda Doolittle - Okay, so my budding star is a little OCD. Man does she sizzle! I love this gal! Yes, she is a W-O-M-A-N!!! They were wise to close with her. She'll definitely bring us back again for more.

Tops: Melinda and Lakisha are in a class by themselves...Jordin and Gina and the rest come next.

Bottoms: Antonella, and someone I haven't already named. For me, the runners-up for worst were all about equal tonight.

See you at the Colosseum!

...John

Top 10 Girls

Anyone else notice the fine Paula banter we're getting this season? She is quick and witty with the British cynic this year and I like it! Let's get right to it.

GINA GLOCKSEN- "Alone" by Heart
I love that song! Honestly? Chills, great control. She hit the lower notes better than Carrie Underwhere. I think her image and the song are edgy, but she could've been a bit "edgier," I suppose, in her delivery. Still, not bad. I like her.

Stupid Finger Tricks: Did she?

ALAINA ALEXANDER- "Ready To Make Nice" by The Dixie Chicks
Aw, her mom was crying! She looks beautiful. She was WAY drowned out by the background and seemed to run out of breath (Simon agrees). It was a bit off. And UGH, do NOT ask the judges for advice! That doesn't ever help. It results in you looking needy and them engaging in more stupid banter. I know it's a competition and in a perfect world, they'd provide more constructive criticism than "Dawg, that was a'ight," but it IS technically a reality TV show.

Stupid Finger Tricks: A study in the number 2. A peace sign. Frontwards. Backwards. "2." "2." *kiss the number 2* "1. 2." Wow, she was over compensating.

LAKISHA- "Midnight Train" by Gladys Knight
I'm forgetting her last name. That's a positive "Diva" sign, eh? Excellent! More reigned in, very good. She's VERY enjoyable and relaxing to watch, because you don't get nervous for her. She gets unfairly compared to Mandisa. She's MUCH better than Mandisa and more consistently on. Simon's full of fashion advice tonight. You say Salmon. I say Orange. Potato. Potata.

Stupid Finger Tricks: Again, none necessary and she knows it

MELINDA DOOLITTLE- "My Funny Valentine"
What's to say? She's phenomenal and has really, REALLY good control. I LOVE watching her perform because she constantly amazes herself with her own abilities. She's adorable and so so good. I REALLY like her. Very, very much.

Stupid Finger Tricks: Nope. Just shock.

ANTONELLA BARBA- Does it matter what song by Celine?
Celine?! CELINE?! You've GOT to be kidding me. Nope.

Stupid Finger Tricks: Forward. Backward.

JORDIN SPARKS- "Reflection" by Christina Aguilera
Shaky start and some spots (she started out crying--gotta love that kind of sibling closeness), but overall, WOW! She's 17?! She's adorable and amazing. She was so sincerely and sweetly emotional.

Stupid Finger Tricks: 3+3 =7? No wait. 3+3=6.

STEPHANIE EDWARDS- "Dangerously in Love" by Beyonce
She's sort of a mix of Fantasia (who I like a lot) and LaToya London (who I do not like). She has quite a range. Fantastic dynamics. She doesn't have that refreshing humility that Melinda does. She's too cocky and I think that's a dangerous thing, especially at this stage.

Stupid Finger Tricks: A Fantasia-like "7"

LESLIE HUNT- "Feelin' Good" by Nina Simone
Less oddly manic moves, but some weird scatting that didn't even come close to comparing with Blake's impressive delivery.

Stupid Finger Tricks: Kind of a psycho "8"

HALEY "Marie Osmond" SCARNATO- "Queen of the Night" by Whitney Houston
What the HECK are people thinking?! If you *don't* do well the first week and all the while you hear constant criticism from the judges to your competitors saying things such as, "That song was way too big for you" and "If you're going to take on Mariah or Whitney or Celine, you've got to be able to back it up in a big way" and the like, hey, I know. Maybe don't do Whitney or Celine. Especially if it's way too big for you. And especially when you can't back it up.

Stupid Finger Tricks: None. She was crying. But hey, she did get an "A for Effort."

SABRINA SLOAN- Something I don't know or remember
I know who she reminds me of! Gloria Estefan! She has a beautiful tone to her voice and she is a powerhouse!

Stupid Finger Tricks: 10 fingers WHILE holding the mic. Impressive.

Tops: Melinda and Lakisha
Bottom 2: Antonella and Alaina and Leslie
Going Home: Leslie and Haley. But if Haley gets sympathy votes crying after the judges' harsh criticism (which seems especially rough to take after you clearly think you've done better and have worked so hard), Leslie and Alaina

Here We Go Again!

Yes, this post is a day late. And yes, this week has been one of those weeks. But the blog must go on! So, similar to the guys last night, there were a few great performances, one or two pretty bad ones, and the rest were relatively good. Ultimately there are 6 obvious choices for the finals (one of which will be left out for a less deserving contestant) and 6 locks to go home. The interesting part is to see the order in which they depart, and which ones we are forced to endure the spotlight for yet another week. At least in the beginning we get rid of 4 (when you count the boys) at a time. Like ripping off a band-aid.

RANDOM THOUGHTS: I'm living my life in color, but not quite as much as Randy's shirt shows. I'm glad dedications are over. I liked the good ones, but the cheesy ones got old fast. What's with the car tire in the Unnamed Cola Beverage Red Room. I'm surprised there isn't a big ol' "Ford" stamped across it. Randy must have a lot of difficulty making decisions since he keeps rubbing his Magic 8 Ball. And 8 Ball must have been returning a lot of "ask again laters" because he looks to Paula to soften his comments or something. "Uh, I dunno. Paula? Did I like that? Why do I have difficulties expressing myself when my opinions are lukewarm? I mean, it was okay--not good, not bad. Why can't I just say that? Paula? Paula? C'mon, help me here!" Speaking of lukewarm, did anyone clap when Ryan announced that Kellie Pickler will be performing on Thursday? Stephanie Edwards didn't care. She does care about herself, though. Why does Simon keep giving out fashion advice? He's the one who says over and over again that this is a "singing competition." Either it is or it isn't. You choose.

OK. OK. Here we go. I actually know some song titles. It helps that A.J. and Leslie sang the same song. It's like a two-for-one.

GINA GLOCKSEN ("Alone"): There are a lot of people picking songs that contestants have done in the past. Not only done, but done well. Gina's low register was great, and her style fits the song, but I've been thinking the same thing as Simon (gasp!)--she has to really stretch for the high notes, and in the process it affects her performance. She definitely is one of the top 6 girls, though.

ALAINA ALEXANDER ("Not Ready to Make Nice"): Crazy! How do you pick this song after the Dixie Chicks won so many Grammys so recently? Give Alaina points for having some chutzpah, but it didn't ever get off the ground.

LAKISHA JONES ("Midnight Train to Georgia"): I'm so shocked someone sang this song. It was going to happen sometime, and I love the song, so I'm glad Lakisha did it before someone else could get to it (except maybe Melinda). I was also glad to see Lakisha get more "musical." She also still managed to show her powerful side, lest we forget.

MELINDA DOOLITTLE ("My Funny Valentine"): Amazing! This girl is probably the most talented contestant we've seen on A.I., possibly ever. Her dynamics, phrasing, emotion, interpretation, everything was outstanding. She even hit all of her "jazz notes" with perfect pitch. The small stage of the Top 24 shows takes a bit away from the impact of great performances, and I think if she had done this same performance in the finals, on the big stage, with more fans going crazy, we'd all be saying this is the best single individual performance on American Idol in any season to date. Even on the little stage, I'll say it holds its own with any other. With her humility and talent, she is the front runner in this competition without a doubt.

ANTONELLA BARBA ("Because You Loved Me"): So her dad looks connected, and her brother's name is Vincenzo (just call me Vinnie)--no wonder she's still around! Judges, be careful when you turn the key in the ignition tonight! Anyway, she really should not have tried a Celine Dion song, as this places a huge bullseye on your chest a la Rudy Cardenas. She improved her performance from last week (whoopie!) but still is outclassed by the competition. And she had to follow Melinda. Ouch! On a positive note, great tribute to the Partridge Family with that dress!

JORDIN SPARKS (That one song from Mulan): Shouldn't Haley Scarnato be singing this song? Jordin is good. She's spunky. She's talented. She'll be in the Top 12. Blah, blah, blah. This we all know.

STEPHANIE EDWARDS ("Dangerously in Love"): We all know you don't like any of the other contestants. No need to lie. Stephanie is a great singer, and this performance was more proof, but her attitude stinks! She exudes arrogance and overconfidence, and she will not go very far if that keeps up. We learned a lot from Latoya London--great talent will not overcome what the public sees as a snob.

LESLIE HUNT ("Feeling Good"): I could just repeat a bunch of stuff I said about A.J.'s performance on Tuesday, minus landing helicopter remarks, but I won't. Better song style this week, but it was just aight for me. The scatting was actually awful, and the fact that she had it written out makes it even worse. I'm sure Blake Lewis didn't write his down for Tuesday, although, I'm not sure how one would write all of his beatbox noises down. But I digress, Leslie is another one who is a good singer but just not in the same league as the rest.

HALEY SCARNATO ("Queen of the Night"): Although, she should have changed the title to "Princess After a Nap" or some such. Just changing the song doesn't change the singer. She was still a bit over the top Broadway in my opinion. It was better than last week, though.

SABRINA SLOAN (???): Sabrina has a lot of talent, and at times her performances are outstanding. I still feel like she really pushes the high notes too much. I thought she was on the edge of yelling this week as well. And for the record, I thought of that independently from Simon. She's still finalist material, but sort of middle of the road for me.


MY QUICK HITS

GINA: Better song, good job, we'll see you next week.
ALAINA: When the sound mixer can't find your vocal, you're in trouble.
LAKISHA: Way to rein it in and show us more of your talent.
MELINDA: Go straight to the winner's circle. If you pass Go, collect millions of dollars.
ANTONELLA: Thank the producers each night for your extensive pre Top 24 airtime. It's what's keeping you around. Come on, get happy!
JORDIN: Keep pushing yourself, because the "age card" will only take you so far.
STEPHANIE: Pride goeth before the fall!
LESLIE: Doo be do doo be, rat a tata, flippin' and flappin', good bye, good bye.
HALEY: A little less crimp, a little more substance.
SABRINA: I can hear you just fine. You don't need to shout.

MY TOP 3: Can I choose Melinda 3 times? No? Then, Melinda, Lakisha, Gina.
MY BOTTOM 3: Haley, Alaina, Antonella.
SEEING A THERAPIST TO START THE HEALING: Anto--, yeah right! Leslie and Haley (I like how they performed back to back, just to make it easy on us.)

So, the Top 6 girls was set before any of the 12 started performing. The big question is, which girl will be out next week to make room for Antonella? Impossible you say? This must be your first season with American Idol.

Top 20! - 10 Girls

Here we go...

Gina Glocksen - Started out kind of slow and mild, but built well, triggering some chills for me. Randy agrees. Again they're talking to her as the future idol with the fashion advice.

Alaina Alexander - Better than last week, and pretty well done, but I think she lacked the power and the focus for that song. I didn't hear the pitchiness Randy mentioned, but her body language detracted from the song rather than adding to it. I anticipate extensive finger-signal commentary from Bo... ; )

Lakisha Jones - Here's that less agressive song I wanted. I like it. I like how she can toss in tiny pitch slides in the right places. Well done, but no chills of greatness. Simon will tell us why.
He didn't like the less agressive style or her orangeness, and is polite in how he says so? Perhaps valium does work?

Melinda Doolittle - A more laid back song. Good. Chills almost from the start, especially when she does a glissando to some smokey bass. God she's good! A very tough song to master, and she nails it! And I love her eyes. Still my favorite of all, and I'm so happy to hear all the judges agree. Even Simon calls her incredible and fantastic. I'm a happy guy. For me, the competition is over, and the show now consists of getting to hear her right up to the end. Whether she wins or not, it will have been worth my time and attention. Everything else is just gravy, as my friend Erich used to say.

Antonella Barba - Since I liked her better than the judges and other contributors here last week, I'll be listening much more carefully. She seems in good spirits, with a good mindset. Good song choice for me to judge. Again, some pitchiness at the start. Again, some chills, but her voice clearly lacks the maturity and training for this contest. Again, Randy starts with her redeeming looks. Simon thinks she was worse than last week, and I'm inclined to agree. He also clarifies (again) that the judges discovered Jennifer Hudson even if, etc. The worst tonight, so far, and definitely much further down on my overall list.

Jordin Sparks - My AZ girl. I have great expectations. A little lacking in the lowest notes, but clear and clean, with good presence and connection. Once again she brings the chills with her ending. Not the best, but far from the worst. She could compete with Haley for the Disney princess position.

Stephanie Edwards - A good clean performance with a few bells and whistles. Professionally dressed and professionally sung. Very good, and much better than last week, but for me, she has yet to set off any fireworks. Still, she'll be around a long time, methinks.

Leslie Hunt - Can she deliver without flopping? Second line is out of tune, and the entire soft part has loose pitch. She gets a little better when she's belting. Her scatting sucked, and I think she lost something by trying not to move so much. Worse than Antonella, even. The judges were kind, I thought.

Haley Scarnato - Clearly tries to bring it with a 'nasty' song. It's technically not bad, and is better than last week, but I don't feel she connected with the song or the audience. At the least, she didn't connect with me. Not nearly as bad as Leslie or Antonella, but despite the technical proficiency, her overall performance is still right down there at the bottom with them, for me. I can't really explain it.

Sabrina Sloan - This one fell short of giving me the critical chills last week, despite a great performance...let's see if that changes. Ah, yes! Much better. Still some yelling/pushing the song and her voice, both of which suffered. Simon agrees about shouting vs power. I think she still needs to work to get anywhere near the top.

Tops: Melinda, Melinda, Melinda...oh, and Gina and Jordin.

Bottoms: Antonella, Leslie, and Haley.

Leaving to pursue a modeling career: Antonella, depending on how many teenagers are in love with her, of course.

That's all...

...John