Top 9 Recap (I Surrender!)

I was all geared up for birth year songs so the very "limited" theme this week threw me for a loop. These nebulous categories are always the worst--more potential train wrecks and plenty of "songs I love." Randy finally articulated what we here at home have been saying for years with this show: just because you like a song doesn't mean you can sing that song. Again, another day at the office for the idols. Kara's counting, Randy's watching paint dry and enjoying people's vocal "prowness," and Paula's talking about furniture. As far as the contestants go, we had a few stand-outs, some solids, a disappointment or two, and a "why, oh why am I subjected to this." You can all decide which performances fit into which categories, but as Simon would say, you can disagree with me but you would be wrong.

Anoop: A disappointment for me. I didn't know the song, but I knew Usher would be one of those "don't do it" kind of moments. Anoop picked a song he likes, but not one that performs well on Idol. And I'll agree with Stacy ahead of time (because I know she's going to say it)--he's getting a little arrogant in his defensiveness. He's been yanked around a lot through the weeks, but something not good has happened along the way. Maybe it's because the Indian kid is referring to himself as a brother and talking about his homies.

Megan Joy: She can't even pick a good one-name name. First she's Megan Corkrey, then Megan Joy Corkrey, and now just Megan Joy. A rose by any other name . . . I honestly don't get it. Even though she didn't pick the Marley song I feared she would ("I Shot the Sheriff") it was still the wrong song (obviously). First, it was out of tune from start to finish. Second, the lyrics actually say "I died," which is not a great choice given the karma of the lyrics. And third, she really isn't a very good singer in the end. Adequate at times, but nothing spectacular. I almost tire of even commenting on her performances, but apparently can't help myself. (And now Stacy is watching a second time to refresh her memory. How lucky am I?!)

Danny: This guy is the real deal. He's got a recognizable sound and great musical ability. One thing that is impressive to me is that despite the emotional heartbreak he has to still carry he has not once (that I can remember) used that to garner votes or sympathy. Really, we know about it because American Idol has used that footage during audition weeks ad nauseum. He's like a man on a mission.

Allison: So she plays guitar, too? Very nice. She has the entire rocker persona down. I'm a little frustrated the judges really made the wardrobe the focus tonight, although I agree it was not a good selection! Her performance was solid, but not great. She is proving she is a force and I hope she continues to get the credit she deserves. And Paula used the word "ax" tonight. Very cool.

Scott: That he would pick a Billy Joel song was not a difficult prediction. It was, in fact, a perfect selection, including going solo on the piano. He doesn't have the greatest voice, but it is very good. And, Scott knows exactly how to play to his strengths. Big props to him for stepping up his game and bringing it this week after a disappointing last week (how's that for three overdone Idol phrases?).

Matt: This was a bad week for Matt so I'm glad Kara tried to come to his rescue. No way he deserves to go home based on his performances as a whole, and not even based on tonight's. He's got to stop choosing songs he likes (a la Megan) and choose the songs that fit him. When he's an established artist he can start to branch out and experiment. For now he has to focus on his "natural" genre, which is toward the R&B side of things. An upside to his performance--I liked how he started in the crowd. Very interesting.

Lil: I'm so shocked Lil picked a diva song. And I'm also so shocked that it came off as less impressive than she thought. Have people learned nothing yet from this show? Not one winner of the show has been a classic diva. A few have had the big voice necessary to pull off songs by Celene Dion, but the winners have found ways to win without resorting to these predictable choices.

Adam: Funky white boy indeed! Ka-ching go the producers. Adam is going to do very well for himself. I feel like I say the same thing over and over again, but Adam is the most current and unique contestant this year, and he's unique in a good way, not in a nasally, what in the world is she doing with her arms, Megan Joy kind of way (sorry, I had to get one more shot in).

Kris: Now he plays the piano. A triple threat! His arrangement was great and I loved the whole performance. I may have even liked it better than Adam in a less obvious kind of way. As a musician Kris is definitely one of the most deserving of all of the contestants this year. I only hope his understated confidence and personality don't get lost in the shuffle.

BOTTOM THREE: Megan Joy, Lil, Matt
LEAVING IDOL TO TRY HER LUCK ON "SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE": Megan Joy

Top 9 Minus 1 - Dolly Parton Performs!

Michael Johns is up first. He's safe.

David Archuleta is next. He's safe.

Carly Smithson is next. She's safe. I'm glad Simon's influence is somewhat limited.

The live questions were entertaining.

The Clark Brothers need a better singer. The dobro guitar player had some interesting picking, but otherwise I was unimpressed.

David Cook is next. He's safe.

Ramiele Malubay is next. Predictably, she's in the bottom three.

Kristy Lee Cook is next. She correctly anticipated being in the bottom three.

Syesha Mercado is next. She's safe for another week.

Brooke White and Jason Castro are last. I'm guessing Jason. No, he's safe.

Brooke, Ramiele and Kristy are the bottom three. I'm sticking to guessing Ramiele, and will be slightly bothered if it's Brooke, though she's really gonna have to bring it if she gets to stick around another week, or her departure is inevitable. I just can't believe Syesha has more of a following than her.

The reunion of the two sisters in Africa was great.

Dolly Parton sings an odd little song, 'Jesus And Gravity', but does a good job. Her voice is a little less melodious than in her prime, but she sure knows how to connect with a crowd.

Randy guesses Ramiele. Simon says it won't be Brooke.

Brooke is safe. Yay.

Kristy is safe.

Ramiele is leaving. She's young...she'll do alright. At the least, Ellen Degeneres will have her on, as she has done with almost every other "castoff" this season. as she calls them. I guess they're back to torturing the losers by making them sing themselves off, but she fights off the copious tears and manages it quite well.

See you next week...

Country Week--Thumbs Down from Simon

I had my doubts about a week devoted to Dolly Parton. I'm not a fan, and quiet honestly couldn't name more than a few songs she recorded. I had no idea she wrote so many songs. This week may be alright.

RANDOM THOUGHTS: Just the theme alone is enough to predict a stormy mood from the Brit. He never "gets" country music, and I don't believe for one second that he "loves" country music. Paula was a bit happy tonight, although not as happy as weeks past. Is Randy trying to tone down the criticism so people will like him again? Last week he was a mad dawg. This week he's a moderately sedated one. I feel badly for the second half of the contestants in the week they go from 90 minutes to one hour. They get half-hearted critique and a lightning speed Ryan running the numbers. And then Paula uses the last contestant as a chance to praise all of the contestants that night with a minimal attempt to address the final singer. Let AI run over. "Hell's Kitchen" can wait a few. Or better yet, shorten the local news. Heaven knows it's mostly fluff anyway.

BROOKE WHITE: First slot is always a challenge because it gets easy to forget them. I thought she was good, not great, but showed why she has a good following. She was actually trying to listen to Simon when the crowd started booing and Paula started cutting him off. I guess at this point they figure, "Why mess with the formula?"

DAVID COOK: Now what in the world was he going to do with Parton week. I guess pick a song I don't know and show his creativity. The Daughtry interview where they give him the chance to explain past weeks' arrangements was nice to get out of the way early. Another great performance.

RAMIELE MALUBAY: Boring. Predictable. Bleh. She's got a lot of vocal talent, but she is just not keeping up at this point. Randy's 6.5 out of 10 was a decent assessment, and at this point it's just not good enough.

JASON CASTRO: I really liked his performance. I think his voice is a bit weak for such a big stage, but at the same time, he is a great performer that knows his niche. The postcard was right: his voice is smooth and relaxing. He can stick around.

CARLY SMITHSON: Great performance from her this time. Too bad Simon had to go to appearances on her. I'm sure he feels they could both make a bit more money with a different look. But isn't this a singing competition, not a popularity contest?

DAVID ARCHULETA: Ballads are his thing. It seems that's where he is his best. This week was really good and should keep him going through. Let's be honest, though. He could walk on stage, eat a bunch of cheese, and then sit down and his fans would still vote him through.

KRISTY LEE COOK: Country, so you knew she'd seem at home. I'm not sure why she picks the songs she does, but oh well. She is definitely not strong enough to make it much further, but at least this week was a nice follow-up from last week.

SYESHA MERCADO: It's sad when I forget to review a contestant until I'm putting together My Bottom Three and I notice someone is missing. She was good. She has a good voice, but I was not surprised she picked a song better equated with Whitney Houston than Dolly Parton, even if she did the latter's arrangement for the most part. And I knew the judges would have some problems with diva comparisons. Syesha just needs to stay away from comparison songs because it is rare to nail them. Song selection was the problem here.

MICHAEL JOHNS: Awesome! This is his style and it was a great performance. I'm surprised the judges didn't pick up more on his vocal stylings, but then again, time for crazy chefs wielding knives. His falsetto was great, the mini-band was perfect, and he's looking more and more like a Top 3'er like I originally predicted.

MY TOP THREE: Michael Johns, David Cook, and then one of a few others
MY BOTTOM THREE: Ramiele Malubay, Syesha Mercado, Kristy Lee Cook (someone's gotta be there)
JUST TRAVELIN' THROUGH: Ramiele Malubay

Top 9 with Dolly Parton!

Dolly Parton mentors this week. Good news for Brooke, who is up first.

Brooke - 'Jolene' - decent performance, but not stellar. Randy and Paula are supportive. Simon thinks she deserves the honesty of his insults.

David C. - 'Little Sparrow' - I don't know this song, but I like how he is doing it. Very good, but not astonishing. Randy and Paula liked it, too. Simon notes that it doesn't match last week, but was good, nonetheless.

Ramiele - I don't know the song, but, as Dolly notes, it does seem to match her bouncy, spunky personality. Some pitch and timing issues, so just alright. Randy agrees, giving it 6.5 out of 10. Paula is more supportive. Simon demotes it to "cruise ship" quality.

Jason - Another unfamiliar but pleasant song. He does it competently but no fireworks. Randy and Paula, supportive. Simon didn't like it.

Carly - 'Here You Come Again' - One of Dolly's biggest, with her own twist. Chills time! A beautiful interpretation and what tonight has been missing until now. Made me applaud, alone in my living room. Randy and Paula loved it. Simon, unbelievably, manages to downplay both the performance and her manner of dressing.

David A. - 'Smoky Mountain Memories' - A John Denver style joint. A good choice for his voice, but not everyone will like the choice of a gospel-type song. I thought it was very well done, but a bit less powerful than Carly's choice, in my view. All the judges, including Simon, loved it.

Kristy - 'Coat Of Many Colors' - She looks great and sings it very well. Randy likes her doing country. Paula gives it her best ever. Simon sticks to last week being her best song choice.

Syesha - 'I Will Always Love You' - A nice, big diva song. Dolly seems to hint that she, not being shy at all, just did her own thing (and didn't take her advice). It starts out very poorly, with bad timing and more problems. She cleans it up at the end, but that didn't redeem it for me. Randy and Paula are supportive. Simon liked the first part but not the second, exactly opposite my take. All said, I don't think it helped her at all.

Michael - 'It's All Wrong But It's Alright' - A bluesy joint, which he handles very well. Randy and Paula loved it. Simon says it's his best ever.


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

Bottoms: Ramiele and, for me, Syesha. Jason and Brooke were slammed by Simon, but I think they'll make it through, and were in the middle, for me.

Leaving: My guess is Ramiele, who's been hanging on by a thread for a while now.

Check Those Lyrics

They are always ominous! I can name at least 3 people that deserved to go home more than Gina based on last night's performances, and probably 3 or 4 that deserved it based on the body of their work. It's sad that Gina is leaving ahead of the likes of Haley, Phil, and Chuckles. One thing that may have hurt her a bit (but not nearly enough to get the boot this week) is her edge seemed to come and go. Chris Daughtry always rocked. It didn't matter what the genre was, or what song he chose. He brought it in his own style, even if it was too strong at times. Gina seemed to morph a bit depending on the style. But even then, what is up America?!

I have (as always) some questions still unanswered after tonight's show.

1. How can I get Michael Buble as a last minute fill-in at my next function? Even with a cold (?) he was fantastic. That's how you sing the classics! His next album should be great.

2. Was anyone really fooled by all that not this three, not yet, bit to which we were subjected by Ryan and his team of intern staff writers. And while we're there . . .

3. I know a lot of A.I. is life, unscripted, but has the writing gotten worse this year? It's tough to keep "fooling" us with all the "we'll find out . . . after the break" crap, but it's gotten a bit more corny for my liking.

4. Why hasn't Microsoft stepped up for American Idol Gives Back? I bet they could spare a bit of change for a worthy cause like this. Maybe that cool Mac guy that gives it to the stuffy PC dude on those commercials will do it.

5. I'd like Exxon Mobil to give back some of the money it stole from me at the pump last week. Any chance of that happening?

6. Was Simon not surprised at all about the bottom 2? Not even a little? C'mon. Gina in the bottom 2. He's just lying now.

Sanjaya's head right now? Give him props for coming out each time and giving it his all, but at some point doesn't the fact that you are outclassed in the talent department get to you at all?

8. Is it me, or are the signs in the crowd even duller this year?

OK, enough questioning. I've only got 2 weeks to come up with something really great for the songwriting contest. Now the season has meaning for me!

Top 9 Minus 1 - Tony Bennett Gets The Flu - Michael Buble Performs In His Stead!

...a 1974 4-door Stead sedan.

Ba dump...bump


Let's just see what happens to Phil baby...

Jordin, Kisha and Melinda - all safe - no surprise.

Sanjaya, Chris, and Blake are in the middle - no surprise except for Sanjaya, and we know what that's all about. This may be how Bush managed to get elected.

Leaving Phil, Haley and Gina. Phil is safe, and Gina goes. Others besides Simon like her legs. But it's just a matter of time before Haley follows, methinks.

And so it goes...

John

Top 9

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Great Songs! Great Show!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Top 9 with Tony Bennett!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

Bottoms: Sanjaya and Haley.

Entertaining elsewhere: Sanjaya, but for the perverse voters.

...John