Finale! The New American Idol: Jordin Sparks!

I wrote my headline before the show started: Finale! The New American Idol: Jordin Sparks! If I have to change it, I'll be very surprised, but not unhappy at all.

Now on to a star-studded show!

The judges all look spiffy, and Simon Cleavage is clinging to his fashion statement.

The 'I'll Never Dance With Another' duet is a collaborative challenge for Jordin and Blake, but they carry it off.

Gwen Stefani's performance is wonderful, of course.

Kelly Clarkson was 'shouting' a little...LOL!...but showed them how it's done.

The Golden Idols?! Is this new? Ah - just another version of "those who sucked". What a farce! But it was pretty funny when Margaret 'Big Bird' Fowler smothered Ryan with a full-body pressed kiss.

The Top 6 Guys performed some great harmony! Smokey Robinson joining them was a lovely treat! Now that's some good production! Excellent!

Blake's beatboxing duet with Doug E Fresh was just hott, but his mic could have used some more volume. Still, he clearly has a huge future.

The Top 6 Girls and Gladys Knight production wasn't quite as hott as the guys, but they made it work!

Tony Bennett's performance was surprisingly powerful! Incredible how much passion he can still muster at his age.

They had to replay the whole 'monkey boy' fiasco? Gag me with a backhoe. I guess they think that giving them an award will somehow make up for it. It was, however, very nice to see that the guy was able to evolve to the point of being able to forgive and thank Simon for making him famous.

Melinda and company was awesome. I'll say again that a finale between Jordin and Melinda would have been the contest to hear.

Carrie Underwood was stunning, singing 'I'll Stand By You'. What a treasure AI bestowed on the world in discovering her. Her energy is a pure blessing to all who hear her.

Clive Davis' review of the AI achievements to date was pretty impressive, and Carrie Underwood's sales of 6 million albums, along with her other awards, is truly a testament to AI.

The African Children's Choir was a breath of pure joy.

The tribute to Sanjaya would have been almost funny if he hadn't done such a good job hanging with Joe Perry of Aerosmith. He performed smartly, as usual. Of course the girl who cries hysterically was featured prominently in the audience.

John Lennon's 'Working Class Hero' was surprisingly potent and relevant to our times, and very well done.

Taylor Hicks brought the house down with his bad self, and I loved the harmonica!

Ruben Studdard and Jordin Sparks' duet was wonderful!

Overall, this has been one heckuva finale show! Can it get any better!?

Yes! Bette Midler, one of my very favorite stars, sings 'Wind Beneath My Wings'. She seems a little off tonight. I think she may act better than she sings at this point of her life, but I love this woman's spirit!

The 'Seargent Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' tribute was a hoot. Taylor Hicks singing 'I Read The News Today' was trippy. Carrie Underwood was more than competent, as usual. Ruben Studdard had fun with 'Lucy In The Sky'. The Top 12 definitely 'Get By With A Little Help' from their friends.

The big moment has to be next, with 2 minutes left in the show...and that's before the commercials. My computer registers 9pm halfway through the commercials. I guess Fox News will have to wait...

74 million votes don't lie. Randy names Jordin, Paula waffles, Simon gives it to Jordin. Jordin's facial expressions and body language say she already knows. And sure enough...but then the awesomeness of it starts to sink in, and she starts to fall apart. Can she pull it together enough to sing the schlocky contest winning song? Yeah, she gets it together by the bridge and owns it!

But then she almost loses it again...that's gotta be rough! Talk about a moment of emotional honesty!

Hail Jordin! Long live the Idol!

The Blake and Jordin Show

So, bigger stage, bigger audience, bigger advertising budget--this is the American Idol finale!

RANDOM THOUGHTS: Whoever wins, I'm fine with that. They both deserve to be in the finals and both came off well tonight. Why was Simon the only one dressed for the Big Show? Paula gets a free pass since she had the canine incident. Randy does not, even if he is sporting something straight from the "I played with Journey for a short time in the 70s" collection. "This is My Now" is not the song I chose, and I listened to all 20 entries (and cried since mine wasn't there). America complained about A.I. finale songs and then promptly selected a song just like the others. Kudos to the writers for giving the people what they (secretly) wanted. Why do the sound guys have such a hard time moving from the CBS Theater (didn't realize Fox filmed anything there) to the Kodak Theater? Here's my quick fix: turn up the background mics. Turn up the singers' mics more. Seems simple, right? I don't think either finalist was at his or her best tonight, but it was still a great show. In fact, one of the more truly entertaining finals so far. Plus, Constantine was there giving his nods of approval. What's not to like?!

BLAKE LEWIS ("You Give Love a Bad Name," "She Will Be Loved," "This is My Now"): Blake's appearance in the finale hearkens back to the Bo/Carrie finale. Blake's style is just not conducive to this type of show. Remember Bo singing "I Wanna Be Inside Your Heaven?" Not great. Blake's first choice was obvious, and definitely a crowd-pleaser. He gave a great performance with serviceable vocals. We all know Blake's not the best singer, but he's pretty darn good. And his second choice, while maybe not "exciting" like the typical finale fare, was the perfect type of song for his style. He has that alternative/current flair and picked the right song for him. Which brings me to the final selection for the night . . . There is no way Blake could pull off this song. Wrong style. Wrong lyrics. Wrong everything for Blake. Now, there were half a dozen other songs among the 20 finalists that would have been much better for Blake, and quite frankly, a refreshing change from the usual A.I. nonsense. Most of the finale songs get released, overplayed after the finale hype, and then disappear into relative obscurity where they belong. This one will, too, no matter who wins. Anyway, at least Simon gave Blake a bit of credit and directed the audience to not shoot the messenger on this song. And Blake kindly held his tongue, even though he was thinking, "I wrote 15 songs on my computer that kick 'This is My Now's' a--!"

JORDIN SPARKS ("Fighter," "Broken Wing," "This is My Now"): Jordin can sing. I'm not sure if anyone mentioned that little tidbit tonight, so I'm saying it now. She made good song choices and did a great job. I did think her voice was a bit off for her tonight, and it sounded like the weeks of strain caught up with her, but nothing to get too uptight about. Choosing a Christina song was a blessing and a curse. It was young and hip, and she was up to the challenge overall, but I thought the song got away from her somewhere in the middle, almost like, "Oh crap! I chose a Christina Aguillera song!" Her second selection was great. I'm not ready to declare it "better than the original" like Randy did, but she did a great job. As far as her final selection, her voice was definitely better-suited to the song than Blake's. That's just the luck of the draw. She was off a bit, probably tired and emotionally drained, but let's just say that she did everything she could to win this competition. Hats off to Jordin.

In the end, both Jordin and Blake did a great job tonight, representing their respective genres perfectly. Ultimately fans will do what they always do: vote for their favorites. Really, one of the finalists would have had to fall over mid-song, and then scream racial epithets while gyrating and making lewd gestures to even make a dent in their voting blocks, and unless I missed that part tonight I wouldn't worry. Granted, I did step out right after the wrap-up and just before Daughtry. The Chinese place was closing in 10 minutes and I still needed cash to pick up our won-ton soup!

This was probably the most balanced and entertaining finale since Clay/Ruben and I'm glad two nice and genuine people made it to the end. I'm pretty sure Jordin will win tonight as she seems to appeal to a broader audience, but surprises do happen. Tomorrow should be a good one, as long as I don't have to see too much Phil.

Final 2

Oh my goodness! They haven't had this good of a finale since Ruben and Clay, in my opinion. Possibly Bo-Carrie, but with a TON more likeability. They are both SO GOOD!!

Let me rate them, not against each other, but just on how well it was sung/performed. 1-10, 1 being abysmal and 10 being phenomenal.

First song:

Blake - Bon Jovi song- 9
Jordin - Christina song - 8

They're both SO GOOD!! I'm so glad he chose that one as his favorite. They always say you shouldn't do Christina, but she rocked.

Second song:

Blake - Maroon 5's She Will Be Loved - 9
Jordin - With A Broken Wing - 8

I'm so glad she chose that as her favorite (it's mine, too, of hers) and omigosh ANYTHING Maroon 5 on Blake totally works. Love them both!

Third song (finale song):

Blake - 7
Jordin - 8

Ugh, that song doesn't fit Blake, but he still did well and the guy has a lot of class to not get negative about it, especially after 2 guys just got congratulated for writing the song. And big kudos to Blake for letting Jordin choose after the coin toss, too. Jordin is phenomenal, there's no question, but she was actually off quite a bit in that song! I do think she's amazing and totally deserves the win, though it's anyone's ball game and they're both CLEARLY successful and rightly so. It's really a matter of taste on this one. I like them both. :) The band was loud, the judges were fine tonight. Great finale!

Chris Daughtry (who I like) was off tonight, too. What's the deal?!

I love seeing the finalists all excited about the big stage and audience. THEY ARE SO CUTE!! Woohoo! I *think* Jordin's going to win, but I really don't know. This is a FUN finale!! It's about time!

Top 2! And The Winning Contest Song!

Ryan has fun calling Simon "Simon Cleavage", given his open shirt. Simon has fun pointing at Paula's recently-broken nose.

I get chills just seeing images of Jordin, and take that to mean she'll be winning the whole shebang, and it's already in her aura. There, I said it.

Blake gets to choose first or second and bows to Jordin's preference to go second.

Round 1

Blake Lewis - 'Shot Through The Heart' - the Bon Jovi song that brought the house down earlier. A masterful performance, as he holds nothing back from the power of his unique beatboxing style. The crowd loves it, and won't shut up long enough for Randy to give the criticism of his singing which is certain follow the, "Yo, check it out, dog." Paula gushes. Simon also noted the singing wasn't the best, but praised the performance.

Jordin Sparks - Christina Aguilera's 'Fighter' - Has she done this one before? She seems to be trying to appeal to the age group which got her where she is. She does it very well, but it wasn't the best song for her, in my opinion. Simon calls the vocals "shrieky in the middle", and this is part of what I'm talking about.

It's very hard for me to call a winner of the first round, and the judges have difficulty too. Simon gives it to Blake. Paula calls it a tie. Randy gives it to Blake for performance and to Jordin for singing.


Round 2

Blake Lewis - 'She Will Be Loved' - A new one for Blake. His pitch is seriously off in spots, but his fans seem willing to ignore it. His falsetto is a bit weak, as well. Not a good performance, for me, and the applause afterwards seems a bit timid, as well. Neither Randy or Paula heard what I heard. Simon at least agrees that it wasn't a good song to impact the audience.

Jordin Sparks - Martina McBride's 'A Broken Wing' - This is the Jordin I love. She owns the song, the stage, the audience and the show. It was recordable as is. Randy gives it "better than the original". Simon loved it too.

Jordin is the clear winner of this round, for me. There was no comparison between the two performances. Jordin simply outshone Blake.


Round 3

Blake Lewis - 'This Is My Now' - The contest winner. I remember auditioning it on the website and rating it fairly well as having apt lyrics for an AI finale song, but downgrading it for its repetitive lyrics and limited range and dynamics. Randy and Simon are willing to let him slide, since it wasn't his choice of songs, and it didn't suit him. It really was just a tolerable performance, and there really were better songs submitted.

Jordin Sparks - 'This Is My Now' - Jordin owns it right from the beginning and gives me massive chills. She overpowers the song's limitations and turns it into an AI classic. Awesome! She just won the show, for sure. She sings rings around Blake's weak effort. She clearly believes the song, her voice cracking at the end as she verges on tears, knowing that this is her now. Simon even apologizes to her for his lack of faith last weak and says she wiped the floor with Blake. The audience doesn't significantly object to any of this.

No question in my mind that Jordin is our next Idol.

See you tomorrow!

...John

Top 3 Minus 1

This should be interesting! I'll reiterate my relative certainty that the Finale will be between Melinda and Jordin, but anything is possible tonight, and all three of them are sure to find great success in their futures.

Jordin is first under the ominous music, so it seems very likely she is safe. No. They're just messing with our minds, yet again. Ryan's stern looks to Simon following his repetition of Simon's criticisms of Jordan's performances last night was priceless.

They pull the same stunt with Blake, and, yes, you're that predictable.

Ohhh...I can't imagine the excitement in Bo's house...here comes Elliot Yamin! Wonderful job! They submit him to the judges' reviews, and, of course Simon has to kid about not liking it. And Elliot's off-handed endorsement of Porsches is priceless.

The segments with the contestants' visits home are pretty interesting and heartwarming.

Melinda faces the 'music' last, but we're no closer to any decision.

Having Maroon 5 perform seems like a subtle nod in recognition of Blake's style, since he covered them last night. Very good performance.

And the results. Again, Jordin is named first, and is a finalist. No surprise here. Melinda is called next, and is going home. Simon looks clearly disappointed. I admit being a little surprised, but I can acknowledge that Blake appeals to an age group that is more at the heart of AI listeners, while Melinda appeals to an older, less populous segment of listeners who appreciate her consistency more than Blake's talent for the modern and experimental (yes, like me). LOL!

I'm nonetheless conviced that Jordin's talent and age will appeal to a broader segment of the youthful listeners, as well as the older crowd that loved Melinda, so I think she'll win by a landslide, barring something spectacularly positive or negative next week.

See you next week!

...John

Top 3

Well, Blake didn't get a shout out from the judges for a place in the finale, but I think the judges best be prepared. It could be ANY 2 of those 3. And quite frankly, it very well COULD be a Jordin-Blake finale, given that Melinda, while fantastic, is old fashioned and both Blake and Jordin and hip, contemporary, and great in their own rights. It's tough to call, in my opinion. Really.

We've got about a million things to do, so here's a short recap:

Jordin:
Wishing on a Star - very good
She Works Hard for her Money - I realllllllllly dislike that song, blech. But good job.
I Who Have Nothing - Fantastic! Just like the first time she sang it!

Blake:
Roxanne - Hot! Very good! Love his tone and his voice!
This Love - PERFECT! Bloggers everywhere have been begging for him to sing that song.
Robin Thicke song (isn't that the dad from growing pains?) - BRILLIANT! Love the beatboxing. Love the performance. Love Blake.

Melinda:
I Believe in Me and You - Randy gets to name drop. Great job.
Tina Turner something - Very Tina Turner-ish. Great performance!
W.O.M.A.N. - Smart to remind us of when we were all wowed by her in the Top 24.

So, who will it be? Tough call. They're all great in their own ways. Melinda is flawless. Jordin is YEARS ahead of her age--phenomenal really! And Blake is SO unique and contemporary and has such great tone to his voice (and likely has all of Chris Richardson's votes). :P

Truth be told, except that people follow Simon like sheep, I think it could be a Jordin-Blake finale. (Shrug.) They're all good. Weird season, but great top 3. It oughta be interesting.

Drunk and Loving It!

I think the whole crew on A.I. must have shared the same preshow drink because they were all on one. All in all, it was a great show.

RANDOM THOUGHTS: Three songs, three judges, three numbers, three reasons to be totally confused. I wonder how many people will cast votes for the wrong contestant. So Paula's feeling good tonight. Randy has picked "this week" to see who's "in it to win it" for about 4 or 5 weeks now. So is tonight really when he's looking for that, or is it next week instead? I'm not sure. Paula has a knack for picking songs that fit the contestant but come off as boring on stage. Go back a few seasons and you'll see what I mean. Clive Davis is out this year to be replaced by "the producers." After all the corny gags this year I half expected Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick to come out from backstage! How many people are surprised Randy found a way to drop a name in a fax? That's what I thought. Oh, and it was nice of Randy Johnson to take time out of his busy pitching schedule with the Diamondbacks to pick a song for Melinda. The backup singers were off tonight in general. Either they were out of tune, or the harmonies arranged for them were off. They've hired Bo Bice as a Mic Stand Choreography Consultant, but don't blame him for Blake's mic malfunction.

JORDIN SPARKS (Wishing, Working Hard, Having Nothing): Jordin started out well, fell off in the middle, and brought it at the end. I think Simon consistently picks the best songs for the contestants which I guess speaks to his ability as an A&R guy. Apparently he's pretty good. Why the producers picked the worst Donna Summer song possible for Jordin is beyond me. And I'm not surprised she picked a great song to close, even if it is a bit old for her. In fact, all of her songs tonight were on the old side. Oh well, she did a great job. And, she got a star at the Arrowhead Mall. Too bad we still don't live there to check it out. (That was sarcasm again, in case you missed it.)

BLAKE LEWIS (Roxanne, This Love, Beethoven's Fifth): This was a great night for Blake as he nailed all of the songs handed to him. I thought his style came through on all three songs and that he didn't overdo anything. Kudos to him for not coming off as a direct copycat of Sting on the first one. Reference my above comments re: Paula's ability to select showcase songs. I'm glad to see Simon finally give Blake his due for the risks he takes and the contemporary feel he brings to the show. Great night for Blake.

MELINDA DOOLITTLE (Something Randy worked on, Nutbush--are you kidding me?!--County Line, I Am Woman--Hear Me Roar!): Randy always picks tough songs for the contestants, and that usually blows up in their faces, but Melinda was up to the task. Randy almost said "Mariah who," but he came to his senses and remembered all the time he worked with her, and Christina, and Journey, and . . . Last week I was looking for da noize and da funk and I think Melinda brought it this week. Great song choice at the end. The point that Simon made may save her this week because it's true: she has been so consistent all season long, that sometimes her greatness gets a bit lost among all the "improvements" others are making.

MY ORDER TONIGHT: Blake, Melinda, Jordin
CLOSE, BUT NO CIGAR: This one is entirely too close to call. My gut says based on voting demographics, Jordin and Blake beat out Melinda, but maybe Melinda will clean up and the others will split votes. And is Blake really getting Chris Richardson's votes? Who's getting Lakisha's? And how many votes does Simon get? Too many questions. Not enough answers.

Top 3 - Judges' Choice

Jordin Sparks 1 - 'Wishing On A Star' - she starts out strong with a very solid performance. Simon picked the song but didn't like the jazzy arrangement.

Blake Lewis 1 - 'Roxanne' - his performance has power, style, and confidence, but I think this song offered a small canvas for his talents, with lots of repetition and a narrow range. Randy and Paula were able to ignore this, but Simon tells it like it is.

Melinda Doolittle 1 - 'I Believe In You And Me' - Melinda starts this out solid and staid, and then kicks it into high gear and gives me chills. Very good focus and connection with the audience. Randy chose it and loved it. Paula called it one of the best this season. Simon calls it her best in the last four weeks, and says the best of the night, so far. I agree, with Jordan and Blake trailing behind.


Jordin Sparks 2 - 'She Works Hard For The Money' - it feels like she owns this song and the stage from the first note. Excellent job. The judges agree.

Blake Lewis 2 - 'This Love' - a solid, hip performance with some beatbox added in just the right amount and place. Better than his first one, which Simon confirms.

Melinda Doolittle 2 - 'Nutbush City Limits' - a Tina Turner joint which Melinda takes to the mat. Very powerful, connected performance. The judges love it and Simon can't decide who wins this round, and calls it a tie. I'm inclined to agree - tough call!


Performers' Favorites:

Jordin Sparks 3 - 'I, Who Have Nothing' - I love this song, and Jordin nails it, bringing me close to tears, with a waterfall of chills. This performance may win the night for her. Purely excellent, and the best so far tonight, for me. Simon objects to the age of the song vs. that of the performer. That's his problem.

Blake Lewis 3 - I don't know the song. It's very contemporary, and he does quite well, with some good beatbox at the ending, but there were some very slightly off-notes, as on another song he did tonight, and I don't think this had the power and pizazz needed at this stage of the competition. The judges weren't wowed, but Simon praised him for originality and having fun.

Melinda Doolittle 3 - 'I'm A Woman' - more Tina Turner vamp on this one, and she does it very well. Simon praises her consistency over the long haul.

Tops and Bottoms - The girls clearly have this one wrapped up, for me, and I think Jordin's performance of 'I, Who Have Nothing' gives her a slight edge over Melinda's truly consistent excellence. Randy echoes this. Simon wants to see "my girl Melinda" in the final. Paula cops out.

Beatboxing elsewhere: Blake, but he's sure to go far.

See you tomorrow...

John

Top 4 Minus 1 - Barry Gibb Performs!

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

There it is!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The contestant background histories were interesting.

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

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

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

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

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

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

See you next week!

John

Double the Disco

I forgot that Barry Gibbs has been involved with so many more songs than the ones from "Saturday Night Fever." Unfortunately, I don't think this ended up translating into a better set of performances than I expected.

RANDOM THOUGHTS: Are we sure Barry Gibbs actually sang that high, because his speaking voice wouldn't support that theory. This week is a "stick to the melody" week, as contrasted with past "way ta add ya own flava to the songs" weeks. Simon hates disco, just like he hates country. That's bad news for the contestants this week if you're keeping score at home. For a show they kept saying they had to rush through we sure saw a lot of Judge Judy, which makes sense since we have no interest in hearing what Simon has to say and would rather see a "judge" from a kangaroo court verbally spar with Simon. Melinda is the first contestant I've heard who pays attention to ominous lyrics. With as much as we all notice it, I'm sure others have, too. Do the judges want Jordin in the final 2? I think so.

MELINDA DOOLITTLE ("In-n-out Burger" and "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart"): So, Melinda is like Ruben--always good. The judges don't even know what to do because it's all nitpicking at this point. They are right that many performances on her "uncomfortable" weeks end up lacking "it" or "shazam" or "sanjaya" or something. The first performance was a bit better than a "background" performance, however. Song #2 was much better, and Barry astutely noted that Melinda was using a recent variation utilizing a bit more jazz chord voicing (Michael Buble did a cover of it recently) which ended up helping a lot. Melinda should be safe, but next week we need da noize and da funk.

BLAKE LEWIS ("You Should be Dancing" and "Exit Stage Left (Snagglepuss's Theme)" or where I came in or something): Overall this was a lackluster night for Blake by Idol standards. I do think, however, that his fans will be quite happy with his showing. He did a great job infusing his own style into it, and he did what his followers want to hear. I know Randy's endorsing a beatbox embargo this week, but Blake's interpretations were solid. Hey, Barry like them!

LAKISHA JONES ("Stayin' Alive" and "Run Away . . .er . . . to me"): I am so shocked Lakisha picked a power ballad for number 2, and even more shocked that she selected the most well-known Bee-Gees song. And I'm a bit more shocked that she disregarded the advice of an industry legend (whose songs she was singing) and ended up doing her own thing. OK, sarcasm off (but not entirely). I am so tired of her not implementing any advice the guest give her and then not sounding great. If you're going to ignore them, at least be great! If you try to follow the advice and it doesn't work I would have greater respect for the performance. Anyway, I'm bored with Lakisha and have been for ages.

JORDIN SPARKS ("To Love Somebody" and "Woman in Love"): Is she sending a message to someone. Sounds like Jordin has a crush. Number 1 was great, number 2 was OK, but not quite "pageanty" as Simon suggested. Jordin continues to work very hard and sounds great. Her voice sounds shot from what I can tell. I hope she doesn't end up straining that young voice too much before the finale. Other young singers have suffered similar fates. As long as her voice stays healthy Jordin should be a finale participant, in the good way.

Since a Top 3 would only overlap with my Bottom 3, and thus give away my Bottom 1, I'll rank them for me last night.

1. Jordin/Blake/Melinda
4. Lakisha

BOOGIES HOME WITHOUT ASKING FOR DIRECTIONS FIRST: Lakisha

How's that? I'm looking forward to tonight's show, but only because Barry Gibbs is performing. You can decide if I'm still being sarcastic or not!

Top 4 - Bee Gees Night?

This promises to be a strange night. Bee Gees music? I mean I liked his music back in the 70s, but it's dated and their vocal stylings with their unique harmony seem like a longshot for successful AI performances...but let's see - two performances each, tonight.

Melinda Doolittle 1 - 'Inside And Out' - Yeah, she handles it well and gives it some heat, and me, some chills. It's not her best, but solid. The judges agree, essentially, that she's hard to criticize but needs to bring it more, at this late stage.

Blake Lewis 1 - 'You Should Be Dancin', Yeah' - He's gonna BEAT it! Good falsetto and echo effects, and the beat boxing is not overdone, and a GREAT touch. He could sell this one right now! Wonderful job, and has that 'Eye of Tiger' added element that puts it, perhaps, a cut above Melinda. The judges unanimously disagree with my assessment, but I think the audience and his fans will agree with me.

Lakisha Jones 1 - 'Stayin' Alive' - She does a decent job, but sounds off-key at one point, and indulges in a bit of yelling. Not good for me, compared to the last two performances. The judges agree, and Simon nails the shouting and denies her a kiss.

Jordin Sparks 1 - Jordin has a real chance to improve her standing if she just listens to the feedback the judges have been giving, and sticks to singing a clean version of her song, 'You Don't Know What It's Like'. Judging by the effect of her rehearsal version on Barry Gibb, she's got it nailed. Sure enough, she does a very good job, and gives me way more chills than Melinda's performance. It wasn't perfect - the ending was a bit of a letdown compared to the power surge - but it was definitely the best so far tonight, and the judges, wisely, agree with me.

Lakisha is on the bottom, for me, at this point.

Melinda Doolittle 2 - 'How Can You Mend A Broken Heart' - She's planning to mess with the lyrics. I hope the judges don't count that against her. This is better than her first one, and very good. The judges liked it better, especially Simon.

Blake Lewis 2 - This is an obscure song choice, and he's adding more beat box. Focusing so heavily on his original style may not be the wisest move right now. It doesn't really connect with me, partly because I've never heard it before, and partly because I don't think the boxing worked as well on this song. Randy and Paula seemed to like it better, but Simon thought it sucked.

Lakisha Jones 2 - 'Run To Me' - Great looking dress and a solid beginning. The chorus adds a nice touch on this song. This is a more solid performance, and the power surge definitely brings it up a notch. The ending is a bit weak. Overall, good, but not great. Simon says she and Blake may be in trouble tonight. From his point of view, I agree, but I think Blake has more popularity than Simon believes, so I'd be more worried about Lakisha.

Jordin Sparks 2 - 'A Woman In Love' - Jordin's combination of power and vulnerability in this song put her over the top. She almost brought me to tears at the end. Randy and Paula didn't like it as much as I did, and Simon had some irrelevant critiques.

Tops and Bottoms - For tonight, Jordin, Melinda, Blake, and Lakisha. For the long haul, Lakisha may have a bit of an edge on Blake, but I think he'll edge her out tomorrow. Jordin has been so consistent for the last several performances that she has a very real chance of winning the top spot. I'd be surprised if either Blake or Lakisha unseated either one of them, unless the female listeners all align behind Blake for a boy/girl finale.

See you tomorrow!

John

Top 6 - Bon Jovi Mentors!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bottoms - For the night, Jordin and Chris.

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

Top 6 (Again)

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

Best to worst tonight for me for them:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Headline: Simon and Lakisha caught in a liplock!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This is going to be an awesome show!

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

Earth, Wind and Fire - wonderful!

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

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

Ben Stiller's singing is funny...

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

Melinda Doolittle is safe.

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

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

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

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

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

Rascal Flats sounded great.

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

The 'Stayin' Alive' video montage was cool.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

See you next week!

...John

Dr. Mark Gives Back

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Top 6 - Idol Gives Back - Bono Mentors!

Yippee! An extended show that's worth seeing!

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

I'll definitely be voting tonight.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Leaving - I really don't know.

See you tomorrow!

...John

Sanjaya is going home

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

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

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

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

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

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

Marie Osmond Week

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Top 7

Wow. What an interesting night.

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

Jordin
Melinda/Blake
Phil
Chris
Lakisha
Sanjaya

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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