Top Performances from Three on Top Downloads Week

I thought tonight's was a great show! Honestly, I wasn't sure what to expect from this week's quite ambiguous theme of "most popular downloads" (mysteriously undefined) but understood that it was a chance for the contestants to have free reign (more so that any other theme week) to choose from a wide range of songs and showcase themselves. Tall order to fill.

(I wondered how/why they had come up with this "theme" until the idols stopped by one of Uncle Ryan's other places of employment, AKA the studios of "American Top 40", the radio program made famous by Casey Kasem and hosted by Seacrest since 2004. That cross-plug makes sense!)

In sum, three of the contestants had shining "Your Best Performance So Far" nights from the judges, three of them seemed to make good song choices and delivered good performances but had other issues, and three of them fell flat, making them vulnerable for tomorrow night's Bottom Three.

(David Spade in the house!)

According to the judges, best performances so far this season were delivered tonight by Danny, Scott and Kris. Danny stayed true to himself with his choice of a Rascal Flatts song (fellow Christian country-ish artists) with the heartfelt "What Hurts the Most". I happen to be a Rascal Flatts fan and love this song, and love Danny, making me really enjoy this performance, although I disagree that it was his best so far. He did get the "stool spot" with Ryan pre-performance and talked afterward as well. Gosh, I know many of you don't, but I like him!!

Scott, on the other hand, got heaps of praise for his (boring) rendition of Billy Joel's "Just the Way You Are".....gosh, I hit the snooze button three times and when I woke up each time, he was STILL singing. It may very well have been his best vocal, but that ain't saying much.....guy's got to go. This guy has no star power at all and may as well be singing in a hotel lobby for me.

Kris, on the other hand, is a star in the making. I've had my eye on him since this thing began, and wow, they finally took him out of the middle and pimped him and it paid off. Loved, loved, loved his performance of "Ain't No Sunshine"....I think he was (is) better than Danny (eeeekk, did I just say that out loud?) and hope we get more of him!!!

Allison, Lil' and Adam were in the middle of the pack tonight. Good song choices and good performances, but each had "issues" and didn't deliver their personal bests tonight. First off, Allison's vocals on "Don't Speak" were wicked, I was just so wow'ed with the first half in particular, and the guitar was such a nice touch. This girl is soooooo good. I disagreed with the judge's critique of her outfit, I liked it and didn't think it half as bad as they made it out to be.

Lil, again, kind of disappointed. First of all, she looked so matronly and about 53 in that wig and dress instead of the incredibly young 23 that she is....who is styling her? Vocals on "I Surrender" were pretty good, it's Celine, for cryin' out loud, most idols shouldn't even go there....BUT....it was pretty boring for me, and I fear she is surrendering her lead on idol. I had to agree with Simon that her personality is being sucked out of her and with Paula that she has been too adult contemporary. Hope she can regroup STAT! Kids are cute though, and it tugged at my mommy strings to see her tears. I know she misses them and was glad Randy gave the one a big ole' bear hug!

Adam was so impressive last week, and so didn't expect him to break it out da box two weeks in a row. He held steady with an interesting take on Wild Cherry's "Play that Funky Music White Boy" but I wasn't digging it. True to Adam , he screamed and screeched far too much of it for my taste, but I did like the light show and appreciated his props to Rickey and the band, which was classy.

(Mandisa in the house!)

Poor song choices coupled with poor performances did Anoop, Megan and Matt in tonight. Anoop is just showing his colors in this competition, I'm afraid his 1st performance spot also did him no favors. Usher's "All Caught Up" just wasn't a great choice for him, and I'm thinking he really isn't meant to be an R & B artist....maybe economics is a better choice! Megan, what else to say? Her vocals were better this week than last, but "Turn Your Lights Down Low" should be read as, Lights out, Megan! And poor Matt....talented guy who is just struggling to connect with voters and more importantly with himself. His song choice made sense on paper but was a disaster in person. The Fray's "You Found Me" (which I've actually heard before! Yay me!) was just all over the place....poor guy.....danger, Will Robinson. I think he's waaay better than Megan but she has fans....

What did you think? Do you think it will be Megan or Scott to go home this this week, or will Matt come up short in the votes? And more importantly, is there a place for Kris in the Top 4 in place of either Danny, Adam, Lil or Allison?

Top Download Week Thoughts

Okay, I'll be honest....I don't know what the Idols should sing this week for the somewhat wide open "top downloads" theme....I have to admit, I love music, but I'm not so much into downloading. Yes, that means I still have the peach crate full of albums that my husband threatens to get rid of every other year or so that has followed us through 9 moves in 17 years. I have an iPod and know how iTunes works. But I also bought both Davids on CD. Admittedly, I am slow to new mediums. I see the value in my space-challenged apartment to digital music, but still must read liner notes, production credits, who played which instrument on what track, and who penned each tune and where it was recorded.....and of course appreciate the Almighty Album Cover, so haven't done much downloading since 2005 or whenever this thing really took off.

That said, Scott is in danger, no matter the theme. Idol Chatter ranks him 8th of the 9 remaining contestants (Megan comes in at 9th) and Entertainment Weekly's Power List from last week had him at number 10 of 10, unchanged from the week before. I mean no disrespect, I just think he's the weakest link. It could be an all-piano soft ballad Barry Manilow week and this guy would tank.

Of course, Megan is also near the bottom no matter what she sings. The girl just isn't good enough.

Needing to bring it full throttle to stay in the game are Kris lack-of-producer-support Allen, Anoop BBQ-loving-geek Desai, and Matt distracting-mole Giraud. (There, I said it.) Not to say that they aren't talented! And they have come far in this competition and each brings something to the Idol table....but they are faltering.

Top 4 for sure are Lil, Danny, Adam and Allison, although each of them, too, has challenges this week. Top-seeded Adam broke away from his freaked out thing last week long enough to bring Middle America something we could embrace....a tender performance of a Motown classic, complete with classy look. The challenge for him this week is to bring something else that housewives and retired postal workers in Des Moines can enjoy without alienating those who enjoy black nail polish, guyliner, screaming (AKA falsettos), and "current" stuff.

Danny (dubbed on the Web as Hokey Gokey, LOL) has stumbled the last couple of weeks, and I was shocked to see that the above-mentioned USA today ranking has him at #7 of the 9! Reasons vary, but make sense (check the article). Watch out Danny!

Lil has also stumbled the last week and also has a pivotal week ahead. Folks are suggesting she do Rhianna to show that she can be a contemporary recording artist, and I agree with that. We know she can sing, but to paraphrase the judges, it's time to see what kind of record she would make.

Allison falls into the same category. Bottom 3 to top 3 from one week to the next, the public is fickle, for sure. We know she is mad talented, but again, who is she as an artist? On the American Idol website, she lists Pink, Beck, Katy Perry, Mariah Carey, and Heart as her "musical influences".... a diverse bunch that doesn't spell one particular genre. Could spell danger for her on Idol. Pull it together, Allison!

No matter what, I will be watching and sending you my opinions after the show! And I hope you share yours here....

Motown Week Result Ramblings

I wasn't at all surprised by tonight's results, were you? Micheal is a nice guy and has a decent voice, just not one that can stand up to this season's competition. Best to you and your beautiful family!

I don't have much to say, just a few random thoughts.....

1. America got it right this week. And not just because I predicted Micheal in the bottom 3, but because it makes sense. How Matt Giraud got there, I don't know...he had heaps of judge's praise, but maybe I'm not the only viewer who just hasn't connected to him yet this season. There is just something off about him....for me, anyway. I could clearly sense the shock in his face as he sat on the Silver Stool of Doom. But refreshing to be reminded that, YES -- the voting public does the right thing, occasionally! Meanwhile, Megan is the luckiest girl on Earth...

2. Stevie Wonder is a National Treasure. I know his songs have been done to death on Idol, and I can see that he has gained a bunch of weight and the years have added puff to his stuff....but gee whiz, the man is dope talented and still brings it each and every time, one million percent yes. I just loved the judges enjoying the performance, for real, and watching the contestants listen to Stevie. We're used to seeing Paula cut loose :) but Kara really let go, I think for the first time.

Frankly, I was amazed to see which of the contestants knew the words and who didn't....golden props to Anoop, who has new points in my book for both singing along, and for being caught on camera at one point clearly saying, "Oh, my gosh..." to being 20 feet from a living legend....keep keeping it real, Anoop. Contrast to Adam, who clapped along awkwardly, and looked as though he'd never even heard of Stevie Wonder, let alone heard any of his songs. HHHmmmph. And the the girls, Megan and Allison, pretty much throwing paper airplanes in the back of science class and goofing off as if there was nothing to be learned or enjoyed. Ladies, pay attention! Stevie is in the house!

3. The Judge's Save is a Ball of Crap. It's pretty clear, even with 9 contestants remaining, that the so-called "Judge's Save" should really be called the "Keep Adam, Danny or Lil in the Finals as Necessary Move" because those are the only folks who are going to get it, and only in weeks 7 or 6....in other words, at the virtual last minute, and not now, and not for Alexis or Micheal or Megan, or Kris, or Anoop, or for Matt and maybe not even for Allison, if it looks like the public doesn't embrace her. And the antics at the judge's table during Micheal's final performance were despicable. Maybe even Oscar-worthy. I was embarrassed for them, and for the franchise, and a bit sick to my stomach, watching them "debate" and claim they had not yet reached a verdict, declaring that his performance was really good....plu-ease. That is a total mockery of All Things Idol.

Rumor is that next week's theme is iTunes.... not sure what to make of that. Will keep you posted!

Get Ready! Idols Do Motown

I read a few comments this week by people tired of the Motown "theme" on Idol and complaining about Idol being too out of touch, and not current....well, I disagree. Who among us didn't sing along with each and every song performed this week, if not most of them?! These are classics that will forever be current, IMO, and I loved hearing them again on the Idol stage. Four of the eight guys wore ties! Paula was on her feet for most of the night! Simon got busy coloring! And did you spot Olivia Newton-John in the audience?

Best vocals of the night belong to Anoop, Adam and Allison. I agree that Anoop's delivery of "Ooh Baby, Baby" was a little sleep-inducing, but he sang it so sweetly I was mesmerized. I haven't been a fan of Adam to date, but I warmed a little to his stripped-down version of "Tracks of My Tears" and was digging on his outfit and hair, and gotta admit....he was great. And Allison? Okay, Miss Bottom Three moves promptly to Pimp! Whoa, Nelly. This girl is on the move. We know she all deserves mad respect, with her smoking "Papa Was A Rolling Stone" like I've never heard it. Maybe the Idol Powers that Be wanted to increase her chances of getting more votes and sticking around. Whatever it takes....the girl is amazing. I'm just sorry her much-overdue accolades were disrupted by Paula/Simon/Ryan antics. Not fair!

And while not the best vocal, I just heart Danny more and more each week...who can argue with his spirited rendition of "Get Ready"? Some complained he jumped around the stage too much, but I loved it, and I really liked his gal palling with the BGV's...just showing respect and having fun.

Middle ground for me tonight were Matt, Kris and Lil. Yes, the two guys jump-started this evening with solid performances, both of them, of "Let's Get it On" (Matt) and "How Sweet It is (to Be Loved By You)" (Kris). Each played his own instrument, but I'm just having trouble connecting with Matt, to be quite honest, and they clearly don't favor Kris, as he keeps getting put in the middle of the pack in terms of performance order. I just don't think this will help him much. And like Allison, Matt goes from Pimp! one week to Opener the next....there has GOT to be some manipulation of viewers with this sort of product placement, no?

Like the judges said, we all expected great things from Lil this week with her big voice, and especially after the emotional build-up of her time in Detroit. However, Lil (wig alert!) was tipped off that the judges might not be fanning themselves from her "Heatwave" when Randy started his comments off with the dreaded "So, how you feelin'?" question, which is his version of Paula's "You look lovely tonight." In both cases, this usually means, Not Good. It certainly wasn't bad, but it didn't win her any new fans (not that she needs them).

The bottom three are quite easy to spot this week: Scott, Megan and Micheal. I know you can't disagree with me here. Scott has just reached his limit, I'm afraid, delivering another snoozer of a performance of "You Can't Hurry Love" that sounded lots like everything else he's done. Megan was gorgeous as always, but is in way over her head, too...her voice just couldn't keep up with "For Once In My Life" and her dance moves were childish. Micheal seems like a helluvaniceguy, but he, too, has peaked on Idol. The only question is, which of them got the fewest votes? Will Scott have enough fans to keep him in? Will Megan squeak by another week on her good looks, great legs and interesting fashion sense? Or will Micheal bring the NASCAR vote out in force?

To Tour or Not To Tour

It is one of my Idol pet peeves that we go through the rather big business of selecting a top 12....and then only the Top 10 go on the lucrative national summer tour....really....is it that much more time, trouble and $$ to have numbers 11 and 12 go along?! I'm sure they don't eat much :) I've read that the Top 10 each earn around 100K for the tour, so maybe it's a big deal. For many of this year's crop, this means a lot.

I KNOW Alexis Grace has fans, for example, that would be buying tickets this summer just to see her....I really did like her, and am sorry to see her knocked out so early. Darn it, dialidol.com for being right this time! I would have never predicted it.

My peeve isn't with her, tho, it's with Idol. We first saw Alexis as a fresh-faced, single mom from Memphis auditioning in KY. A beautiful and big voice out of this little package made a big impact. No professional experience (read, "No plant") who sang in her college choir, for pete's sake. The judges? "You're too clean cut," they said. "Dirty it up." To which beautiful and young Alexis Grace started wearing insane amounts of make-up, black lace, short skirts and pink streaks in her hair, and started singing songs that might be construed as less-than-wholesome, all in an effort to be "dirty" to please the judges. And then last night for country week, she sings a beautiful and classic country song about a woman being spurned for a younger more youthful (and perhaps more beautiful and/or more dirty) woman, and it was lovely, and the judges critiqued saying, she wasn't dirty enough...she should have done Carrie Underwood's "Before He Cheats," for example.

Rubbish.

I'm disgusted with the Idol franchise right now. Alexis should be in the Top 10, in place of either Micheal Sarver 9forgettable) or Scott McIntyre (boring) for sure, but she is not, all for the small crime of trying to please them. Reminds me of a blip I saw today on Idol Tonight, the TV Guide program hosted by Justin Guarini and Kimberly (dumped by David Cook) Caldwell. They had Brooke White on today, and she told the contestants that when they try and please the judges, they will lose. In other words, you have to know who you are as an artist first, and go out and give that week after week....and if you are still searching and try and do what you think they want, you will always come up empty. This is what felled Alexis Grace. I wish you the best.

Carrie and Randy Travis were dope. Even though they hadn't rehearsed and it was a lil' rough. I wanted him to do the duet part with her as she sang, the one that I do in the minivan when I'm alone on my way to work, but he didn't/couldn't.....but she went on without him and showed her star power.....WOW.

I told the kids, look...after 4 years, I don't know if we'll go to the Idols Live Tour this summer....I'm just not feeling any one of them. And they were cool with that....I love Danny the most but even then I don't know if I'll spring $54 a ticket, plus service fees, plus parking, plus refreshments, plus t-shirts......for 3, maybe 4 tickets.....loosing the love this year, peeps.

How bout you?

Grand Ole Country

Got a sick kid in the house tonight, so have to be brief! Playing nursemaid trumps Idol blogging....

Country week on Idol wasn't quite the train wreck it could have been with this crop, and in fact, wasn't bad...there were a couple of downright great performances and a mess of very solid ones, with only a couple that fell flat for me.

I didn't absolutely love anyone tonight, but I enjoyed Danny and Anoop the most. Course, I like Danny anyhow, and he didn't heed my advice to avoid songs from Carrie Underwood's songbook, but he managed to pull out the Church of Danny with "Jesus, Take the Wheel" and make me a believer by the end. Similarly, Anoop brought it BACK tonight. Willie would be proud to hear "You're Always On My Mind" the way Anoop Dawg did. He really does have a lovely voice and he's assured himself a spot on tour with tonight's performance.

Solidly in the middle were pretty much everyone else, with a couple of exceptions. Allison's "Blame It On Your Heart" was good, all things considering, but I'm not sure tonight won her any new fans given that most others were just as good, if not better. Kris Allen's "To Make You Feel My Love" was full of tender moments, as Randy noted, and I liked it, and agree with Simon that he's a dark horse. Lil's "Independence Day" came no where near Carrie's, but it was serviceable...she's safe, but it wasn't her best week. Same with Alexis.... I liked Brooke White's version of "Jolene" better, and it seemed a safe choice. And I know I'm in the minority here, but I didn't love Matt on the piano doing Carrie's "So Small"...great song, but I wish they would have stayed acoustic for the whole song and not just the first half...and well, for some reason, I'm just not warming to this guy.

Must make a special paragraph for Adam and Megan. First off, Adam is certainly shaking up the Idol machine this season and taking viewers where I don't think we've ever been....I was tickled with his interview with Randy before his performance, and my mouth hung open through most of his interpretation of Cash's "Ring of Fire", complete with Wall! Of! Flames!....but after watching again, I realized that even though I am STILL not a fan of his, I reluctantly agreed with Randy that it was current and hip.

Megan looked gorgeous and I would have never guessed she's been seriously ill this week....and while I think "I Go Walking After Midnight" was as good a song choice for her as it could be, I recall the poem my Grandma used to tell me, something about.....her vocals are good when they are very very good, but when they are bad, they are horrid. She will stay this week, though, on the strength of that dress alone, the fact that she performed later in the show and will stay on voter's minds, and because being sick always brings out the sympathy vote.

Bottom two for me this week are Micheal Sarver and Scott McIntyre. Yes, Micheal's rousing "Ain't Going Down Til the Sun Comes Up" Garth impersonation was serviceable and there was nothing really wrong with it, but it just didn't stand out...and was kinda karaoke. And going first is never good. And course Scott is a likable guy and his life will likely change for the better after his Idol run, no matter how long it goes on from here, I just don't think he stands out as a vocalist. I actually think he's a bit boring.

Thanks for your comments! Keep them coming...

Opry Suggestions for the Top 11

I thought I would take a stab at suggesting songs for the Idol hopefuls to sing during this week's tribute to the Grand Ole Opry. Country week has typically been kind to the contestants, I'd say....and usually has a few surprises in store. And overall, the Idol franchise has been kind to Idol graduates, like Bucky Covington, Kellie Pickler, Josh Gracin....very excited to have Carrie Underwood performing with Randy Travis in a duet of his beautiful "I Told You So" from her latest CD. If you haven't heard this song, you're in for a real treat. Wow. This is country music at it's absolute finest.


On that note, I'll start by saying that as tempting as it will be, I don't think any of the Idols should attempt any hits of Carrie's. First off, she's on the show, peeps! And second, you really just shouldn't Go There because like Whitney and Celine and Mariah, etc. you can't match the original. Unless Danny wants to strip it down and remake it into something new, a la David Cook.....well, I'd be aiiiight with that. Otherwise, there are pla-enty of other tunes to choose from.


Now that I've gotten that out of the way, on to my suggestions, in no particular order:


Micheal Sarver should sing George Jones' "She Thinks I Still Care." GREAT song, and not too terribly country....James Taylor covered it, and he's not country. Sarver has said he's really not much into country music so this is an easy way out, sing a crowd-pleaser...might need it this week. Never done on Idol, either, so he could carve his own piece of history!


Matt Giraud should sing "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry". Pretty smooth song that might finally showcase his vocals, and I'd like the piano on this one, too. Also never done on Idol.

Lil Rounds is a tough one....she's got chops, but maybe not the country kind?! I pick for her the Dolly Parton classic "Here You Come Again." Delicate yet strong, and will give Lil the chance to carry a sweet melody. Yes, I know Carly did a really touching version of this just last season, but I think Lil and Carly are different enough that they can each make their own impact.

Alexis Grace has lots of options...but I choose Patsy Cline's "Crazy"....I'll bet the gals and gents will be fightin' over this one, such an awesome song for so many reasons, but only Alexis can pull it off. This song has been done on Idol, but never in the top 12-ish.

Danny Gokey can sing the phone book, I do believe, BUT I'd rather hear him sing something I like :) so I would like to hear him sing "I Still Believe In You" by Vince Gill. I think it is in keeping with his previous song choices in terms of meaning, and Vinnie is a swell guy. Would show us the softer side of Danny, and no dancing required :)

Scott McIntyre was a tough one for me. I finally came up with "Anyway" by Martina McBride. Yes, I know this song has been covered on Idol (most recently by Kristy Lee Cook on Season 7, but was also performed live by Martina herself the week she was a mentor). It has the piano rift and the sensational message Scott is known for.

I choose "Shameless" for Kris Allen. I fell in love with this song when Billy Joel first recorded it , and dig Garth's cover. It's a man's song, and since the ladies dig Kris, that will work to his advantage. Plus, it's never been done on Idol before! Bring it on and set the standard, Kris!

I'm sorry, cheap shot: want Adam Lambert to do "Stand By Your Man." Whatevs.

Anoop Desai has some big shoes to fill this week, since America (and me) are starting to fall out of favor with him. I found it tough to pick an Opry song I could really see him going the millionpercentyes with ....so I'll have to go with another Garth tune, "Friends in Low Places." I know, drunk frat boys usually sing this one, but everyone knows it, it's fun to sing along, and that alone could score Anoop some calls and keep him alive this week.

This is also somewhat of a cheap shot, but then again, I can totally see Megan Corkery choosing Terri Clark's "Poor Poor Pitiful Me" for this week.

Finally, the number every one of them wants to do this week should be done by Allison Irehata: Trisha Yearwood's "How Do I Live" (also covered beautifully by LeAnn Rimes). Gorgeous song, and Allison is in the unique position to be able to deliver the notes, but also add the heart to this song. May just be the surprise of the night!

First Elimination: Jasmine and Jorge Get No Judge Love

I hate elimination nights. It is hard to sit and watch dreams be crushed, especially this season when it means that not only are you off the show but you have to pack your bags and leave the mansion! Awww....that will hurt. Not to mention the fact that Danny and Kris raided each other's closets with those plaid shirts!

A few thoughts.

Opening group number...I actually liked this one!! I guess it's the Jackson 5 thing (see yesterday's post) but I thought it was entirely less cheesy and irritating than most group numbers, even though they clearly lip-synch these things (annoying). I do admit to being distracted by Scott and where he was, what he was supposed to be doing etc. since he wasn't seated the entire time...have to be honest. Asked my kids if I should get pink highlights when I visit my stylist next week, and they all said no. HHHmmmph.

The announcement.....that the judges can this season invoke a "save" card just once for any contestant voted into the bottom in a particular week. This had been wildly speculated, and it addresses the various "outrage" eliminations that have occurred in previous seasons with Jennifer Hudson, Chris Daughtry, and others. I guess we are being scolded and told that we make mistakes sometimes, and so the judges/producers will correct us if they think we've voted mistakenly, and therefore further mold and shape the show and it's remaining contestants as they see fit....hhhmmm....as if they weren't molding and shaping enough already! I'm not sure I'm liking this.....but they weren't sure I would! Fair enough.

The eliminations....no real surprises to see Jasmine and Jorge leave us, and without being saved. Ouch, that has to hurt double-bad that you don't get the votes from the public, AND that the judges don't find you worth keeping around either (wasn't Simon particularly harsh on Jorge when asked if he was staying, with his curt and nonchalant "no"....) Notice served to Anoop and Megan, on the chopping block! Enjoy that bowling alley and jetted tub all you can this week...

Jasmine was a common thread in the bottom of the major rankings I checked this week, but Jorge was somewhat of a surprise. MSN.com ranked him #7 of the 13 finalists, so squarely in the middle, and according to them, Matt Giraud or Micheal Sarver should have left in his place. Similarly, Ew.com ranked Jorge 10th, while Micheal and Megan ranked lower. I was just happy to see Kris Allen remain....go Kris! I' m not sure the PTB planned on that....

The mansion.....it isn't just about the posh furniture, pools, entertainment gadgets galore....it's also about the fact that they are living together! Which is no small feat, and certainly adds a twist to this season ....it's Idol meets Bachelor meets Big Brother, meets Amazing Race to the finale? Probably best that there are only 2 ladies left :) We have a harder time co-habitating (flashbacks to my freshman dorm in college....yikes).

Kelly Clarkson.....chick is major talented, and I loved her performance. She will forever be the Uber Idol. Love that she is BACK and better than ever. I thought her exchange with Ryan was relaxed and clever, and cute and all things Kelly...welcome back. We love you!

Kanye....got nothing for ya. Skipped through his entire performance.

What do you think of this week's leavers? Do you think the new rules will be good for the show and are better for the contestants? And what did you make of Paula's TAT? (Don't even tell me you didn't see it :)

Top 13 Channel the King of Pop

I must confess: Micheal Jackson was my very first crush. The year was 1972, and my parents bought me the LP "Got To Be There" for my 7th birthday. AND I STILL HAVE IT. Yes, through moves to a different middle school and then a different town for high school, through college, grad school, and then more-than-I-can-count moves since then.....STILL HAVE IT. Needless to say, despite his current freakiness, I am a fan and was very excited to hear the intersection of Idol and MJ.

I've divided my commentary into the following categories with appropriate MJ song titles.

Got To Be There: We'll start at the top. My fav 4 performances tonight were Danny, Kris, Allison and Alexis. First off, Danny....I mean, the Church of Danny. Simon thought the dancing wasn't all that (I disagree) but I think this guy has something really special. When the three letters PYT were uttered for his song choice, my heart kind of sank...not only is it a tough song to sing for even the best (see exhibit A, Justin Guarini) but I just thought there were better songs. I'm a believer! Danny did great. Paula even said he would make it to the finals (Final two, I'm left to interpret. Bold prediction! Bold lady. Bold peacock living around her neck tonight, and I'm not sure I'll believe lots of what she says tonight since Old Paula is back....meds again?)

Kris!! OMG!! Wow. Here was a guy who had a lot of ground to cover to make an impression tonight. Not much of a back story, and certainly not much prior screen time. And I have to say, he rivals Danny in performance ability for me. In fact, we have the Battle of the Worship Leaders. Kris Allen is a worship leader for New Life Church in Arkansas, while as we know, Danny is the praise and worship leader at both Faith Builders International Ministry locations, in Beloit, WI for the morning service and then Milwaukee for the afternoon service. Can Idol handle these guys? Can't wait to see!

The ladies were outnumbered tonight by a mile, but two of them secured a place for themselves in the top 10. Allison Irehata was outstanding. love her voice, and even though I didn't recognize the MJ song she sang, I agree with Randy that she is one to watch. As if we didn't know it already that Alexis was good, since she got the pimp spot, but wow -- she was good! You just don't expect those kind of big vocals out of her little package....but she delivered.

Wanna Be Startin' Somethin: In this category I placed those from tonight who came into tonight's show with hype but didn't cut it, or otherwise fell a little bit short: Lil, Scott, Jorge, Anoop,and Matt. Course, I love Lil...and think she's a star. But in all honesty, her song choice was safe ("The Way You Make Me Feel"), and we didn't really get to see much star power from her. Disagree with Simon that her outfit was horrid, I liked it! And I appreciated that she stood there and tolerated Simon's tirade afterward, and smiled, and said nothing. She will be back next week for sure, just keeping it real.

Likewise, keeping it real for Anoop. I have mad love for him, the kind you feel deep in the stacks of the library on a Friday night when everyone else is out partying, but he just didn't hit it tonight. Adorable parents, and he will likely rock the far east vote like Jasmine Trias captivated the speed-dialing Hawaiians a few seasons ago, for better or for worse. But my luv for Anoop is fading like a 2nd grade crush after hearing his spirited take of "Beat It" (ouch), and I'm sad about that, I really wanted to see him do well in this competition.

Jorge, too, fell flat as a tortilla for me. I like the guy and just wish we could hear him sing in Spanish! I would probably weep. But as it is, his performance of the Jackson 5 classic "Never Can Say Goodbye" wasn't very good. Again, adorable parents and family. And white teeth.

Scott, too, has a very compelling family story and beautiful family. I liked finally seeing him on the piano and like Kara, I'm impressed that he just learned "Keep the Faith" this week....BUT...it just didn't wow me.

Finally, Matt Giraud has such mad love associated with him this season, it's like the judges want him to do well despite his actual performances. I was disappointed with his song choice ("Human Nature") even though the judges pretty much liked it.....and therein lies the problem. Am I being spoon-fed?

Off the Wall: There have to be some finalists who push the Idol envelope a little, in whom we see some redeeming qualities, but the jury is out. In this category tonight I've placed Adam and Megan. While he is one of this season's top-rated contestants, I am not a fan of Adam, and tonight's performance did me no favors. Too theatrical with "Black or White" (when was he going to tone it down?) and too shrilly. Tired of hearing about how spot-on his vocals are when I cringe hearing them. Found myself wondering why he didn't just take his LA self and audition for the short-lived Rock Star reality competition until wait- I remembered how badly those real rockers would kick his a**.

Again, Megan is lovely, wish her and her adorable son the best. But she sounded out of breath to me through the whole performance of "Rockin' Robin' "and what a repetitious song, showed us nothing of what she can do. Tired of waiting to see what she can do... Hmmmph. On the fence here.....

She (He)'s Out of My Life: Micheal Sarver and Jasmine Murray. These are my picks to go home tomorrow night, since they announced that 2 singers would leave during tomorrow night's show. I think they are both lovely people, but from tonight's line-up. they were the weakest. Micheal is a great guy, and he sang my fav MJ song of recent times, although just not very well. ("You Are Not Alone.") Likewise, Jasmine's song choice was perfect for her ("I'll Be There"), but the judges called her out for being "robotic" and "under pitch" at times. I did love her retro dress and earrings, and she could make it through pending someone else's demise....that is what American Idol is for!


What did you think of the new opening sequence? Did you think the pimped contestants lived up? And what did you make of Paula's bold predictions for the finals??

Top 13 Revealed!

I gotta admit, when they got down to the last spot and took a commercial break, and the last Top 12 spot was clearly between Anoop and Matt, I wondered how THAT was going to work out....only to have my TiVo cut out like the rest of you! Gggrrrgggg....ran to my computer to check the source of all Idol things, Mjsbigblog, and learned that they BOTH were through! Wow!

I think the Wild Card worked out perfectly, seeing that Tatiana didn't make it. We had all sworn off Idol had that happened, and probably lots of you did, too. Best of luck to her.

Jesse Langseth didn't do it for me....she definitely got the "wear a short skirt and show a little leg" memo, but it wasn't enough to overcome her "indulgence" as Simon put it. Likewise, Von Smith's audition was "ick" (those were my notes). Sorry, Von.

On the other hand, Poor Ricky Braddy...was this rigged before it even began? I dug his take on "Superstition" but then heard Simon call it "karaoke" and "clumsy"...were we hearing the same song? I guess there isn't enough back story or drama with Ricky, even though he's one of the best from Season 8, IMO.

Making it to the Top 13 were Matt Giraud, Megan Cokery, Jasmine Murray, and Anoop Desai. First off, Matt did a smoking version of an old Jackson 5 song, "Who's Loving You"...timely, given that just today Micheal Jackson announced a short London tour this July. Judges said Matt was "back" and had great vocals, only Simon compared him to Taylor Hicks at one point like that was a bad thing (does Simon forget already that Taylor WON?). I think Matt might stick around at least a couple of weeks, especially if there is a piano involved.

I have to be honest: I am not a Megan Cokery fan. Yes, she is "quirky" and certainly has visual appeal. She did well to channel one of the two great performances by Kat McFee ("Black Horse in the Cherry Tree") but I think Megan is a one trick horse....I don't think she is a great singer, and I don't think she has the depth she'll need to withstand theme week after theme week...but goshdarnit, Simon likes her so she is THRU.

Sweet Jasmine was invited back to the Wild Card for a reason, and I am not exactly sure what that reason was.....Young? Pretty? Talented? The judges had their reasons....and tonight, thankfully, Jasmine showed us. While the song stunk (Yes, it is Christina Aguilera, peeps, it's also from a Disney soundtrack!) she did a beautiful job and as Simon told her, she is pretty special! Again, don't know how much depth there is there.....but girl can sing, and hold a mic, and clearly has some emotional stability, so she's IN.

Poor Tatiana didn't even realize she was Top 12 cannon fodder. It was clear they brought her back tonight for the entertainment factor, and shame on them....and she wasn't up for the task, seeing that she sang the same song....(okay, Anoop did, too....but somehow her repeat rendition of her Top 36 song smacked of desperation). I really felt like she was shamelessly working the Puerto Rican thing by pulling out an accent we hadn't heard (called out by Paula, yay) and trying to capitalize on the Jorge factor. Boo on you, Tatiana! Amazing were the judges, scratching their heads as if to ask, how is this girl standing here? COMPLETELY FORGETTING THE FACT THAT THEY PUT HER THERE. Hhhmmmph.

Finally, Anoop got the biggest cheers of the evening and clearly has a massive fan base, although some don't yet know why....he may not have the best vocals, but we like him and can't wait to see what he brings.

On to the Top 12 !(I mean 13).....

Three More Top 12, and Wild Card Hopefuls!

Three more American Idol Season 8 hopefuls are feeling a little more relaxed following tonight's results show: Lil' Rounds, Scott McIntyre and Jorge Nunez. I think this is more or less the right group from tonight, although I think Scott and Jorge lack the depth necessary to travel very far into the season after this. Lil, on the other hand, will be Top 6 at the very least....she's got "mad pipes" as the judges often say, and huge likability.

More interesting tonight was the announcement of the much-anticipated Wild Card slots. There has actually been little press about how many slots there would be, and exactly how they would be chosen. For example, I'd read around the 'Net that those from Hollywood who weren't necessarily chosen for the Top 36 would be available for the Wild Card (apparently not; you needed to have been in the Top 36 to have been eligible). I'd also read anywhere from 8 to 12 would be selected; we learned tonight that 8 singers would compete tomorrow night for the remaining 3 slots to round out the Top 12.

Performing last night was apparently a disadvantage, as only one from this week's group of 9 not immediately advancing gets another shot (Von Smith). I supposed that's because the judges had more time to think, consider and discuss the other rejects who had performed a week and two ago, although I might be wrong. Von should consider himself VERY lucky....I think they could have easily gone with Arianna Afsar (since they called her out on her song choice), on lovely Felicia Barton or on Ju'Not Joyner, who had a terrific night.

Returning for another shot from Group 1 are Anoop, Ricky Braddy, Tatiana and Matt Giraud. Anoop, although announced last, was the obvious Wild Card choice, given his immense popularity and the announcement back at the first elimination that only 20,000 votes had separated him and the third-place vote getter. He looked a little shocked...either he was completely unaware that his Wild Card was pretty much a given, or he was quietly trying to figure out how to gracefully drop out of graduate school to continue on Idol.

I liked Ricky Braddy and had hoped he would get another chance. Likewise with Matt Giraud, although song choice will be key and I think he gets that now. Tatiana, on the other hand, was a huge disappointment for me....her Wild Card was also widely predicted, but not because the girl has mad talent but because Idol can't resist the drama. I sincerely hope tomorrow night is the last we see of her!!!!!! Was that worded strongly enough?????

Group 2 returnees are, interestingly, 3 ladies: Jesse Langseth, Jasmine Murray and Megan Cokery. Because the top 12 currently has 6 guys and 3 girls, it reasons that at least one gal from the Wild Card will make it, not because the Top 12 have to be gender-balanced (they don't this year), but just because it makes sense. But honestly, based on what I've seen from each of these ladies so far, I wouldn't choose any of them.....so I need them to convince me tomorrow!

So, was your favorite advanced and given a second chance? Are you liking Kara as a judge after all? And do you really think the judges suddenly changed their minds on a Wild Card just tonight during a commercial break and if so, who was left behind at the last minute so Jesse Langseth could advance?

Final Group of Twelve Battle for Three

I found myself trying to explain this afternoon what's happening on Idol these days to someone who has never watched, and it involved a lot of threes, a few twelves, one four, and possibly a nine or ten. I was actually confused by the time I was finished! LOL! All I know is that by the end of this week, we'll have our Top 12 (even though only the top 10 go on tour....okay, we'll tackle that issue another time).

Tonight wasn't bad...in an effort to standardize my 'scoring' I went with the old-fashioned star rating system, out of four stars, starting at the bottom.

1/2 star: Alex Wagner-Tugman, Arianna Afsar, and Nathaniel Marshall. These would have to be my worst for the night, remembering of course that they did make the Top 36, meaning that they made a serious impression along the way singing something....just not what they sang tonight. First of this bunch was Alex, a likable student from CA...and his voice wasn't bad, BUT as Simon reported, his "ridiculous growling" was "stupid" and I, for one, was totally distracted by it. I think he will be singing the blues after tonight's vote (and the Wild Card). And speaking of likable, Arianna Afsar was helping senior citizens in her spare high school time, for Pete's sake, but her performance of an heretofore-unheard-on-Idol ABBA song ("Winner Takes it All") was pageantry and as the judges reported, depressing. Mamma mia, don't think we'll see Arianna anymore this season. Finally, Nathaniel is an interesting cat for sure, and I'm glad he had fun on Idol but he shouldn't have done Meatloaf's "I'd do Anything for Love"...ouch. I could actually see him doing a fitness show, though! the New Millennium's Jack LaLanne! What do you think?

One star: Von Smith. Von (AKA "Shouty McShouterson" per Micheal Slezak at Ew.com) did the best song of the night and reminded me of why Marvin Gaye is so awesome.....his overall vocals weren't bad, but his wobbly lower register and his lack of....well, soul kind of made it flat for me. Simon's comparison to Clay was overdone, IMO. Clay was way cooler at this point in the competition.

One and a half stars: Taylor Vaifanua. I loved her top, and while she wasn't all THAT bad, it just didn't measure up to Top 12 material for me. No star power!

Two stars: Ju'Not Joyner, Scott McIntyre, Kendall Beard, Felicia Barton, and Jorge Nunez. Each of these five singers had something to offer us, and it remains to be seen which of them will make the Top 12. Ju'Not did a reprise of his Hollywood round "Hey There Delilah" and while he said he changed it up, I didn't really notice any difference. Love the guy, but not feeling him. Likewise, Scott has lots going for him in terms of back story, and I can say that I enjoyed his vocal more than lots I heard tonight, but I wasn't feeling it as much as the judges, who said they would be surprised if he didn't go through. Loved the "for real" high five! LOL! Kendall is NO Carrie Underwood, or Kellie Pickler for that matter, but I've got to say, it was a solid country blond performance that I didn't hate. Felicia showed us why she should have been asked back to the top 36 in place of Joanna Pacitti, although she didn't send me into a speeddial fury....and Jorge was really, really good, but the Hispanic thing will push Idol farther than I think the Machine can go this season. I like him, though.

Top performers tonight were Kristin McNamara (shock!) (Two and a half stars) and Lil 'Rounds (no shock! Three stars). First, Kristen. Glad to see her looking somewhat normal although they still criticized her outfit. Although she is a professional karaoke performer (is there really such a thing?) I liked her vocal and her song choice, but as the judges said, we still don't Know Who She Is As An Artist, which is just as bad of an Idol Sin as Picking The Wrong Song. Kristin's vocals are good, but she suffers mostly from a poor likability factor and an identity crisis right now...from all of the Hollywood week footage, she looks like someone who doesn't play well with others....and again, who is she? Don't know.

Surprise! Lil got the pimp spot, and she deserved it. What's not to like about this girl? First of all, she's good....and secondly, she did what others have failed to do...she stuck to what got her to the finals and sang a Mary J. Blige song, to whom Randy originally compared her....didn't try to be original or show her range....just did what she does best, and it totally worked. Good for her, we'll be seeing her for a while.

What did you think? Who will advance to the top 12 tonight, and who might get another chance with the Wild Card?