Beatlemania and a little regular mania

Finally! The Top 12 are here, and I feel the pain of the 6 guys, 6 girls format, although if we could just get rid of the first 3 or 4 now and give the rest some exhibition weeks I'd be more than happy. The Lennon-McCartney songbook, predictably, came off wonderfully for some contestants and destroyed some others. Not everyone can do The Beatles. OK, on to last year's format. . . .

RANDOM THOUGHTS: That's an impressive set, complete with mosh pit and the backdrop with a secret entrance. What the hell was going on with Ryan last night?! It was like he was drunk or on some drug or something. Last night was the first time I've actually considered this thought: Bring back Dunkelman. It was a oh so very brief moment. It occurred to me that Ryan, as much as I enjoy him as host, is a complete attention seeker, so the new set, the hype, the fancy lights, Band-in-the-Stand, Brooke's shoes, etc., just had him drooling. Simon's right: Paula is disrepectful to him while telling him to be respectful. The banter is interesting but sometimes they just gotta let him speak. Interesting that they put Chikezie and Amanda in the Brand-name Cola Chair for interviews. Of all the contestants they could use the positive attention the most. OK, brief comments on the contestants.

Syesha Mercado: Snore. You're a working actress (Ouch to all of you "aspiring," a.k.a. "out-of-work" actors out there) and have done commercials on the beach. Blah blah. I was unimpressed.

Chikezie: I thought his southern jug band thing worked. Loved the interpretation. The pogo stick impression after the performance was a little much, but luckily The Great White Hope made him look "normal."

Ramiele Malubay: No more songs with personal meaning. We're not getting it. She's starting to slip quite a bit in my mind.

Jason Castro: Welcome back Mr. Six String. Solid performance from this one. Jason is definitely one of Simon's $$$ projects. He has a recordable voice and distinctive style, Simon's kind of package.

Carly Smithson: I don't know that this was exactly the "moment" Simon was looking for, but it was her best so far. The style suited her and she seemed to eat up being on The Big Stage 2.0.

David Cook: Wise decision to drop the guitar this week and prove he's The Man. Simon's praise is not misplaced, and he is a Daugtry-esque money machine if he can make it as far, which Simon is already trying to help along.

Brooke White: Her voice was off a touch at times this week but her complete love for the music and the experience is why she is so incredible on stage. The tears are real because she is the music. She is the lyrics. She comes off as the consummate performer. Brooke is definitely one of the few this year that really believes this is the greatest experience (not just career jump-start) of her life.

David Hernandez: No, no. No. Don't do that. No. The Small Stage--Circular Version. No. Danny would have been more interesting, that's for sure. It doesn't help that my wife has finally pegged who he looks like. "Hey, man, check it out. I got some great stuff to dehydrate here. I got some grapes, I got some apricots... I thought it would be really cool to see what happens with these water balloons. "

Amanda Overmyer: At least she seems like she wants to be on AI at this point. This is a vast improvement. Aside from being the "authentic Amanda," I didn't really like the performance. I don't find myself wondering what she'll do each week and will it work. She could provide some interesting entertainment on the tour, however so I can persevere for two more weeks.

Michael Johns: I largely agree with Simon on him. I liked the performance a lot. He definitely has a career in the music business, but he's not bringing a whole lot of "wow" to the table right now. He'll step it up soon once the dead weight is trimmed from the Top 12.

Kristy Lee Cook: I feel badly for this girl. She did what she thought the judges said to do. They are not always the clearest in their critiques.
"Dawg. You gotta, y'know, bring it. IT. Bring dat. YaknowwatImsayin'? Paula?"
"You're so beautiful. You need to exude this inner beauty and be the butterfly rising above the
cocoon. You know I love you."
"You'd be great doing country."

What is she supposed to get from this? She did country, but did it poorly. I think the arrangement had a strong back beat, and she was somewhere between on the beat and off. My instincts say she'll be back another week, but she needs to actually stop listening to the judges and just do what she wants.

David Archuleta: I was afraid of this. His youth hurt him on this one because he wasn't too aware of The Beatles and then picked a version by The Greatest Singer in the Known Universe(TGSitKU) (Randy's opinion, not mine). It came off like a Star Search performance and he came through as young, not "young and great." He'll be back. He'll stop singing Stevie Wonder, except for TGSitKU Week. He'll emerge again as a front runner.

MY TOP THREE: Brooke white, David Cook, Chikezie
MY BOTTOM THREE: David Hernandez, Kristy Lee Cook, Syesha Mercado
YOU SAY GOODBYE . . . AND SO DO I: David Hernandez

Top 12 Perform Lennon - McCartney!

Syesha Mercado - Got To Get You Into My Life - Very pitchy start for an Idol contestant. She risks an updated arrangement, which may get her a few points, but not really great. Randy likes the arrangement and calls her on early pitch problems. Surprisingly, Simon thinks it was better than last week. For me, it was two pitchy performances in a row - enough for me to drop her.

Chikezie - She's A Woman - With a hillbilly interpretation - I like it! Then he turns on the grunge and takes it home. He be havin' fun! Very exciting! I surely liked it! Randy's like, who knew? Paula loved it. Simon is surprised that he agrees with Randy and Paula.

Ramiele Malubay - In My Life - I love this song. She suggests that it's about all the people that pass through our lives and then adds that that includes people voted off the show. I'm telling you, she had/has a crush on Danny Noriega! She starts it very well, though she's a bit tentative further on when she could be building it, then depends entirely on the final note to bring it home. Randy agrees that it "just laid there." Paula starts by complimenting her looks, so you know she didn't love it, and felt the same as Randy. Simon agrees but finds it necessary to add insult to injury. Who knew?

Jason Castro - If I Fell - He plays guitar, the audience claps. He does some original runs to make it his own. His charisma may save him, but, for me, the vocals were mediocre. Randy didn't love the original runs in the falsetto range. Paula felt his charisma overrode that. Simon stuck with boring, maybe left over from his review of Ramiele. Ryan lands a good one on Simon and then pitches Jason's dreads to the listeners.

Carly Smithson - Come Together - a song she performs regularly. She does it pretty traditionally to start, and owns the song and the audience. She adds a little grunge and closes it well. Randy loved it too. Paula saw her as a star. Simon says this is (finally!) the right song choice for her. High praise all around.

David Cook - Eleanor Rigby - a tough song to do well, but he knows it and thinks he's up to it. His husky voice has a little trouble bringing power into the softer parts, but when he goes to high gear, he nails it! The final note is a triumph. The audience loves it. Randy calls him on the shaky start, but loved it when he took it over. Simon calls it brilliant.

Brooke White - Let It Be - Can she come up to David Archuleta's memorable version? - big risk, plus she plays piano which could take some needed attention away from her vocals. It's a pretty standard good performance, but no fireworks, for me, but I still love her heart, and maybe the audience feels the same way. All three judges do feel that way, and I'm mildly but happily surprised.

David Hernandez - I Saw Her Standing There - His voice seems to suffer when he runs through the audience. It's a competent performance, but doesn't really grab me. Both Randy and Paula think he overdid it for this relatively simple song. Simon calls it corny and desperate.

Amanda Overmyer - You Can't Do That - a song she only just learned. She tries her own spin, but it just sounds like yelling. Her performance lacks any of the melodious nature of the original.
She gets a lot of applause from the audience, but I thought it sucked. Surprisingly, the judges gave her props for filling her unique slot, though Simon did call it a bit "shouty."

Michael Johns - Across The Universe - A solid performance, though nothing unsual. Both Randy and Simon agree that it needed something else. Paula thought it was brilliant.

Kristy Lee Cook - Eight Days A Week - country style. A risk, but she does does well by it. Again, nothing spectacular until the final note, but a decent peformance. None of the judges liked it very much, but Simon pounds nails into her coffin. A failed risk, perhaps, but not as technically poor as some others tonight.

David Archuleta - We Can Work It Out - He says he's nervous about it. Wow! He forgets lyrics at a couple of points. He seems to be more focused on his original riffs, which, of themselves, are fine, but he ended up thinking instead of fully feeling it. Randy agrees. Paula agrees. They're willing to let it slide based on his past. Simon is less forgiving.


Tops and Props: David C., Carly, Chikezie, Michael

Bottoms: Amanda, Syesha, David H., David A., Jason, Ramiele,

Leaving: It should be Amanda, but audience and judges' reactions indicate differently. If the judges hold sway, it could well be David H., though Syesha seems more deserving, to me.

Top 12 Revealed!

Good to hear from Blake Lewis!

David Cook is safe - no surprise.

David Archuleta is safe - no surprise.

Jason Castro is safe - no surprise.

Brooke White is safe - no surprise.

Syesha Mercado is safe - I'm a little surprised, unless Amanda takes her spot on the flight out.

Kady Malloy gets the boot - no surprise. Her parting performance truly sucks, but that may just be emotions (though tearless).

David Hernandez is safe - no surprise.

Michael Johns is safe - no surprise.

Luke Menard gets the boot - no surprise. But if he buys a puffy-sleeved shirt, he'll have a career for sure.

Ramiele Malubar is safe - no surprise to me.

Carly Smithson is safe - no surprise.

Amanda Overmyer is safe - I'm surprised.

Kristy Lee Cook and Asia Epperson (acknowledging Bo's rant) are left. I think Kristy may get the boot over Asia, but we shall see. Their last performances were pretty even. Asia gets the boot! That's the first one that's bothered me, but only a little. I'd rather hear another week of her than of Amanda.

Danny Noriega and Chikezie are left. Danny gets the boot - not a surprise for me.

So three out of four predictions ain't bad... ; )

See you next week!

Brandon's Going Home

Well, bleh, bleh. Dare I admit that, huge fan that I am of this show, I'm not feeling very attached or passionate about anyone? It reminds me of Fantasia's season--you know, you're sort of mildly entertained for 12 weeks and then they crown her winner.

So, score one for Boquinha's predictions. Brandon's going home. I don't think his heart was in it.

But hey, don't lose heart! Poof your hair, wear a big red feathered boa, throw your arms in the air, have smoke and fireworks announce your entrance on stage, sing like crap, and YOU, TOO can be a diva!

That bottom 3 wasn't super shocking either. Biggest shocker of the night was Simon's collared shirt.

Yawn.

So, if you're bored, I highly recommend you read Magistra's post from yesterday. Far more entertaining than tonight's show.

Whoopie!

Mini-golf podiums (sans tiny pencils), cheesy choreography, and those crazy Ford commercials! We've finally arrived at a real elimination show. No surprises on the one going home, Brandon Rogers, but after another half hour of A.I., I'm left with some unanswered questions.

1. Why do they subject these poor contestants to such awful choreography during the group numbers?

2. Was there a reason that Brandon did more posing and less singing during the group song? (Maybe lyrical amnesia?)

3. How does Simon choose when to change shirts?

4. If running through all 12 contestants can be done in less than 60 seconds, why have they dragged it out in past years?

5. Why can't some people just call it a career after 4 decades instead of embarrassing themselves into a fifth?

6. And on a related note, why couldn't we put Diana Ross in the bottom 3 tonight? Her performance warranted it, and since she coached last night's performances I hold her partially responsible.

7. Why was the saxophone player giving Diana Ross the evil eye during her performance? (Maybe he thought he could sing it better.)

8. Why is Blake holding out on us? In other words, why didn't he break dance last night?

9. Why are adolescent cell phone bills so high? I mean, answering that ridiculous question only costs 99 cents per text message, plus standard text messaging rates. And why do they need the phones in the first place?!

10. Sanjaya looks like he's in agony up there every night. When will people just let him go?

See you all next week for what should be another great set of performances!

Top 12 minus 1 - Diana Ross performs!

The group song, 'Stop in the Name of Love' was nice. There were some obvious weak spots. Gina Glocksen was off-key in her solo bit. Sanjaya was as weak in the group as when he solos.

Oh, last night it occurred to me that Sanjaya's soft-spoken speaking voice reminds me of a younger Michael Jackson talking. If only he could belt it out like Michael.

Diana Ross performs 'I Love You More Today Than Yesterday'. She seems past her prime, vocally, but still has star quality. She's quite a woman.

Bottom 3: Brandon Rogers, Phil Stacey and Sanjaya, with Phil safe for another week. Pretty predictable bottom two (I picked them, anyway), but Sanjaya stays, Brandon goes.

See you next week!

...John

Top 8 and the also-rans.

I know it seems rude, but let's be honest. A few individuals have shown us they can step up, and the rest just can't keep up.

Top 8
LaKisha and Melinda of course, who can deny that these two are just amazing. Add Blake Lewis despite the monotone version of Keep Me Hanging On, liked the updated sound, but he never worked the vocals. Some others have mentioned they like Chris Sligh, and I did too, but I know why the judges didn't like it. They said almost the same thing I did, if you've ever heard AC/DC thunderstruck it has the same defect. It sounds like an intro to a song, it builds but never peaks. Rounding out the top is Gina, Stephanie and Jordin. Phil Stacey is the bottom of the top, he's talented but ordinary, let's hope he continues to hold onto the first line luck he had last night.


Bottom 4
Hi Sanjaya, this is the bottom and here...you are a leader. He has a great voice and natural talent, but I can't tell if he is just scared, unable to do better, or missing a lung and that's as much force as he can muster. He sings like I whisper....wait...I whisper louder then that.
Brandon Rogers just is not getting it, he has spent so much time behind the act that he can't step up and be the act. He's got a really weird Wayne Brady unhipness to him which is disheartening based on the level of talent I think he has.
Chris Richardson and Haley Scarnato suffer from the same disease, boring...I've like some of what Chris has done in the past, but I don't think he is all that memorable. I feel bad for Haley, she was doing so well and then just fell apart.

So, who's going home?
Sanjaya is on vote for the worst and every 14 yr old girls speed dial, so although he she be going home, I think he might survive. Brandon Rogers worked really hard to force people to not vote for him, so I think his head is on the block. Haley stepped up huge last night, but fell apart, her head is next to Brandon's.

Top 12 with Diana Ross!

Well, I got a post error (no more than 200 characters in the labels, which I know there weren't) and lost my entire post.

I'll simply say that Melinda and Lakisha ruled, Jordin Sparks was good, but not in their league as the judges suggested, and Brandon and Sanjaya were on the bottom, for me. Sorry you missed the rest of my detailed analysis, but I haven't the time or patience to reconstruct it.

Oh, and Diana ranks chills up there with me, so she knows something... ; )

...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!

What Went Wrong?

The Top 12 are in! WOO HOO!

So what went wrong for those that didn't make it?

ANTONELLA - Nothing, she just wasn't as good as the others.

SABRINA - She's got great talent, she just didn't connect well with the viewers at home. It's like we didn't get to know her well enough and therefore didn't become invested in her.

JARED - I think for him it was just the way the cards fell. He was good, but he had to be a standout, and unfortunately he wasn't this last time.

SUNDANCE - Song choice song choice song choice. I'm really sad to see him go, but he only "brought it" one of the last three weeks. This week's song wasn't the style that we love from him, and it brought about his demise. Bummer!!!!!

That being said - let's cut the underdogs a break! I feel really badly for Sanjaya and Haley. They were voted through! They need to be given a fair shake, and not treated like the ones who *stole* the spots from those that didn't make it (particularly from the judges). They've got something special, and that's why they made it. Hopefully they'll grow quickly over the next little while!

For me, everyone starts fresh. It's a new competition, and I'm excited!

I think what Idol is doing to *give back* is great. They are HUGELY successful and can have a lot of influence for good. That's awesome!

Carrie Underwood did great! It was fun to see her back. It's like watching your little child grow and turn into this successful adult! :) I wonder when they come back if it's like returning home after you go off to college. Do they feel like a little kid again (or a naive, unseasoned performer rather than the success they've become)? I didn't think she acted like that, but I thought I might feel that way if it were me. That small stage doesn't do them justice, but it's still fun to see the successful ones return!

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.

Top 12! Carrie Underwood performs!

Alrighty then!

More mind-messing-with postponements til after the commercials by Ryan. Poor Sligh! But we knew he would make it.

Jared is out! I didn't see that coming, though I wouldn't have expected him to last much longer anyway. He needs some vocal training and he'll have a great careeer. I'm just a little surprised that some others weren't voted off instead.

I haven't been following Carrie Underwood's brilliant career (she's country, after all *smile*), but it was certainly nice to hear her perform.

Bye Antonella...we'll always remember how purty you are... ; )
Wow! They've dialed back the cruelty and are asking the losers if they'll sing a final song! Maybe they'll only do that with the ones that are tearful...LOL!

Sabrina's out - not too surprising, and again, Haley's performance last night was her best so far, so maybe she can continue to improve.

The special sounds very cool!

Bye Bye Sundance...Sanjaya should be next. I'm really surprised that judges are acting surprised...even Simon. I thought he liked kicking them when they're down. But then again, he has been backing Sundance from the start.

Now we can get down to bidness... ; )

...John

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.