Idol Gives Back

I don't even know where to start. It was sooooo long. So many bloggers and news people have done a great job:

Read Entertainment Weekly's terrific recap here

I also liked Sleeping Beauty's very extensive commentary at http://americanidolsnark.blogspot.com/

Buddy TV sums the evening up here

Girls Talkin' Smack have lots of pictures with their write up here

You can read a recap from someone who was actually there from TV Squad here!

On the positive side, I liked the Top 8 working the phones this year (if they really were, that was powerful) and liked seeing the SYTYCD dancers! Woo hoo! The sad thing is, I actually knew their names ;) (But where was last year's winner, Sabra?)

I found Teri Hatcher's "performance" utterly indulgent and think she'd better stick to acting. Star of that song was that cool digi-fiddle thing! Heart still rocks..and folks, that was no cartwheel that Fergie did, that was a one-handed walkover! People! Best performances of the night for me were Carrie Underwood (WOW) and Annie Lenox (fantastic!!) (Does anyone know what her necklace spelled? We couldn't figure it out). As always, the video clips from Africa, New Orleans, etc. were very well done. Always awesome to see Bono, a true hero of mine.

Celebrities were, well, celebrities...and there were LOTS of them, mostly in pre-recorded segments. Message to you....wearing sunglasses on stage should be reserved for Stevie Wonder or others with visual impairments; otherwise, it looks very pompous. Also (yes, Mr. Pitt, I'm talking to you!) take the hat off! Loved the Manning brothers and thought Jennifer Connelly's H20 piece well done, too.

The comedy stuff (Billy Crystal, Robin Williams) didn't work for me at all, and "Millie Seeris" should have done one song. Jimmy Kimmel was brutal.

My TiVo cut off halfway through Mariah's number (you?) so I missed the end. I guess the Top 8 did another group number also. Have to check the Web for that (or maybe not!)

The kids bugged us until we picked up the phone and pledged...so they got the message.

Did you?