reason no. 17

The 17th reason to get excited about AI, season 7:

How do they fill 10 hours with bad auditions? Look no farther than this guy.

reason no. 16

The 16th reason to get excited about AI, season 7:

Stage moms.

reason no. 15

The 15th reason to get excited about AI, season 7:

These girls auditioned. Possibly without tops.

reason no. 14

The 14th reason to get excited about AI, season 7:

A deluge of really, really bad imitations involving the term "dawg."

reason no. 13

The 13th reason to get excited about AI, season 7:

I don't know the full story behind this Miami audition photo, but I'm fantasizing it involves handcuffs, Seacrest and Randy Jackson's Bedazzler.

reason no. 12

The 12th reason to get excited about AI, season 7:

The obligatory old bearded guy who sings country and/or rock songs, but doesn't make it very far.

not jamie lynn, but...

AI disaster Jessica Sierra is reportedly pregnant, according to this article.

And there's apparently a sex tape on the way.

Better or worse off than Britney?

reason no. 11

The 11th reason to get excited about AI, season 7:

Sometimes Atlanta auditioners DON'T make us proud.

reason no. 10

The 10th reason to get excited about AI, season seven:

Sometimes Atlanta auditioners make us proud.

reason no. 9

The ninth reason to get excited about AI, season 7:

Three words: After the break.

reason no. 8

The eighth reason to get excited about AI, season seven:

The obligatory tough rocker grrrl.

(Who's forced to show her soft side on a love songs week.)

reason no. 7

And the seventh reason to get excited about AI, season 7:

The season's hottest contestant might be single by the end of the "Idols Live" tour.

congrats, jordin!

Jordin Sparks will sing the national anthem before Super Bowl XLII, according to this article.

With luck, the appearance will boost her popularity amid relatively disappointing record sales. The aforementioned article says of Sparks, "Her album debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard 200, the weakest opening ever by an AI winner."

Good luck, girl!

fourth place gets you...

The most popular album of 2007, at least if you're Chris Daughtry.

Billboard has named Daughtry the top-selling band of 2007, according to this article.

Do you think results like this undermine, or help, AI's credibility?

In other words...does AI become a less credible vehicle for finding talent when its fourth-place finalist outsells its champion?

no gimme more on AI

AI execs have no interest in featuring Britney Spears as a guest judge on the reality TV show, executive producer Nigel Lythgoe said in a conference call today.

He also confirmed predictions that this season will have much less an emphasis on guest mentors.

Get the full story here.

In other AI news, Jordin Sparks and Blake Lewis will perform on this year's "New Year's Eve Live" on Fox. Details here.

reason no. 6

The sixth reason to get excited about AI, season seven:

The always-awkward departure song.

(Incidentally, there's a discussion happening now on the AI message boards regarding which sendoff song will be used in the upcoming season. My favorite suggestion is "Another One Bites the Dust." Weigh in here.)

reason no. 5

The fifth reason to get excited about AI, season seven:

Sometimes a picture really does speak 1,000 words.

reason no. 4

The fourth reason to get excited about AI, season seven:

The show's hypnotic power makes people actually pay to see these guys in concert.

gives back comes back

Ugh.

Remember slitting your wrists in boredom during last season's Idol Gives Back special? Um, yeah. You're going to have to do that again.

The fundraising special, which last season featured a duet with Celine Dion and dead Elvis, will happen again in season seven, according to this article. Producers have even set a date, April 9. Prepare to waste two hours.

Last year, producers "surprised" the remaining six contestants by announcing that no one would be eliminated during the "Gives Back" week. Lots of bloggers are wondering how they'll handle that situation this year.

How do you feel about the return of Idol Gives Back? Which alive/dead celebrity duo would you love to see?

simply the best

AI was the most popular television series of 2007, according to analysis by Nielsen Media Research. Get the full story here.

Do you think the title is warranted? After all the criticism of AI's last season, what -- other than Sanjaya, of course -- kept people watching?

spoiler fans, rejoice

We haven't even hit the one-month mark in the countdown before season 7 premieres, and there's already an AI spoiler scare.

And this one appears to be legit, many sources report.

Online AI forum JoesPlace has a list of this season's top 50 contestants, including singers who made it through Hollywood Week and ones who have been cut. It also gives info on the MySpace accounts, and personal Web sites, of many of the included contestants.

Interestingly enough, the site includes siblings of two singers who have already appeared on AI: Fantasia Barrino and Chris Sligh.

But is it real?

That's hard to say. This MTV article gives a pretty comprehensive look at the potential spoilers. The writer visited MySpace accounts of many of the mentioned singers, and concludes that several of the reported finalists seem to know each other.

An excerpt:

Despite living in separate cities and states, they've all been leaving each other friend comments, and most of them share the same top friends — each other. While that's not definitive evidence that the list is solid, we did hear from some "Idol" hopefuls — both in the running and out — who verified that at least some of the names appear to be legit.

Thoughts?

reason no. 3

The third reason to get excited about the seventh season of AI?

The infamous group song.

(Read: A guaranteed weekly results-show bathroom break.)

stacey in the studio

Phil Stacey, also known as the bald alien guy from last season, is in the studio working on his debut album, according to this article.

Let's just hope he doesn't sport his (unfortunate) trademark cancer patient hat on the disc's cover.

reason no. 2

And my second reason to be excited about season 7 of AI: the inevitable dirty-photo scandal.

in summary...

So a lot of AI-related stuff has happened since I last updated this blog. Not too much, however, to make me unable to recap the events in a five bullet summary.

Here goes:

*Last season's winner, Jordin Sparks, released an album. Unsuccessfully. She had the lowest-charting debut by an "Idol" champ, this article notes. Somewhere, Taylor Hicks is laughing. At a 50-and-older early bird buffet, most likely.

*Blake Lewis, last season's runner-up, also released an album. His first single is called "Break Anotha." I'll stop there.

*Melinda Doolittle, a sixth-season favorite also known as Shrek, has moved on to a prosperous future of Zaxby's commercials, which you can watch here.

*Fourth-season finalist Jessica Sierra's exploits continue to make headlines. Get the full story here. I think I'll skip on the possible sex tape, though...

*Season 7 auditions happened. I was there -- for part of the ordeal, at least. I also met Ryan Seacrest. My life has never been the same.

season seven, here i come

OK, so I vow this blog will be back in full force every day until season seven starts Jan. 15.

In addition to rumors and gossip, I'll be providing one reason a day to get excited about the new season.

Today's reason to be excited = The likelihood that your favorite contestant could soon have his or her very own mugshot.

did he or didn't he?

Some of you might remember me mentioning I wanted to follow local guy Timothy Fedd through the audition process.

Well, even though we touched base in the a.m., he didn't get out of Georgia Dome until the mid-evening, well past my deadline.

But he called me (when I was still in bed) this morning, to tell me his experience was "wonderful."

"So," I asked, "what did the judges say?"

Timothy said he couldn't say, as he had been instructed not to talk to the media.

Which I thought was weird, since ousted contestants DEFINITELY could talk to us yesterday and even some contestants who got the thumbs-up were escorted to the media area.

But Fox is weird about that kind of stuff, and it's perfectly feasible Timothy was told not to speak to anyone.

Either way, I'm going to try to get an interview with him.

smitten with seacrest

Prior to yesterday, I'd always viewed AI host Ryan Seacrest as a mere accessory to the "Idol" action. Didn't hate him, but didn't love him, either. If I had to pick a side, though, I'd most likely join the haters. His weird facial hair was seriously creeping me out last season.

But when my media efforts to stand around aimlessly were interrupted by Fox crews telling me it was time to "meet Ryan," that all changed.

Initially, the Fox people told us Seacrest wouldn't be there, so I initially envisioned this so-called "Ryan" as a former hopeful desperate for a cheap shot at publicity.

False.

It was the real Ryan (who's also an Atlanta-area native), and the 10 of us in the media crew were told to stand in a semi-circle and ask questions. Individually, we each got about three minutes with him.

Seacrest was, surprisingly, not as short as I imagined him to be. I'd guess about 5'3". Not tall enough to audition for "America's Next Top Model," I'll note.

Anyway, I was the second to last journalist to interview him, and I have to admit my knees buckled a little bit when he said he liked my name. Don't tell anyone.

I asked him if he liked sweet tea (yes), what kind of genres he'd like to see emerge next season and which musical guests he'd like to see perform on AI.

My spirits fluttered a little when he mentioned the Backstreet Boys' reunion.

Quit playing games with my heart, Seacrest!

almost famous

As I noted before, former AI finalists Brandon Rogers (season six) and Constantine Maroulis (season four) were present at the Atlanta auditions.

I spoke with both of them -- Brandon was there as a correspondent for TV Guide channel, Constantine was there promoting his album and his new role as a spokesperson for Garnier, one of the AI sponsors. He described Sanjaya's hair as "luscious."

What I thought was the weirdest thing about the experience, though, was that they were both just kind of hanging out. Like walking right past contestants and everything.

It's amazing...just recently (months ago for Brandon) these guys were part of what's arguably the biggest show on TV. Now they're walking arounds sans bodyguard. For better or worse, my encounters with them really added a human element to the show. Both of them were really nice, though.

idol auditions - what u don't know

No, Paula, Randy and Simon weren't there.

Almost 24 hours after my trip AI auditions, I'm finally giving you the lowdown on what happened yesterday. Since I can't naturally give you the heat-of-the-moment intensity of live auditions, I figured I'd start with a recap of some of the most interesting things.

*At least for Atlanta, I thought the prevalance of weird costumes was exaggerated. I got to Georgia Dome at 5 a.m., expecting to see a whole sea of weird getups. False. Yes, there were drag queens and a girl dressed as a butterfly, but as far as I know none of those people made it through to the next round. I interviewed season four finalist Constantine, who was there promoting his album, and he said things looked tamer than when he auditioned.

*However...finding the "so bad they're good" people is difficult. Once auditions got under way, the ousted contestants wandered out a side walkway. The ones who got the thumbs-up, meanwhile, signed the necessary papers and then some of them were escorted to the media. But the ones we got to speak to couldn't sing for us. And while the rejected ones spoke of OK'd contestants with weird hair and personalities, we never saw any of those.

*Basically, it's a giant zoo. Yeah, this might not come as a major surprise, but it's really hard to understand the magnitude of this thing unless you were there. An estimated 15,000 people showed up, where and how the line wrapped around the building.

*People got inside surprisingly quickly. I got to the auditions shortly after 5 a.m., and spent at least until 6 a.m. getting clearance and acquainting myself with the venue. By 7 a.m., the outside crowd was limited to stragglers. Awkward. And I wasn't allowed in the building.

back

Yep, after a day that lasted from 3:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., I'm back from Atlanta's AI auditions. I'm finishing up a few projects, but should be able to give a detailed recap by the end of the day. Thanks for being patient.

it's that time again

Holla!

Yes, after a brief therapeutic cooling-off period, Ledger Idol is back in effect...just in time for the AI auditions in Atlanta on Tuesday.

I'll be following the auditions -- yes, with a 3:30 a.m. wake-up call -- blogging, taking photos and writing an article for Wednesday's paper. Check my blog for pics, funny stories and my overall impressions of the entire talent circus.

Once I get to the auditions -- at 5 a.m. -- I'll follow (or attempt to follow) two local guys, Timothy Fedd and Andy Johnston, through the audition process. Wish us all luck!

It's on, baby!

this is MY now

So the live posts might be over for a couple months, but rest assured I'll still be updating this blog regularly with news regarding album sales, upcoming concerts, TV appearances and AI-related reality shows. Also, by Friday, I hope to compile a list of this season's most memorable moments, so please drop me some comments along those lines.

More importantly, though, I want to take a moment and thank anyone who's ever perused this blog. The comments have been amazing, and I always look forward to seeing the hit climber soar on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

Along those lines, I can't wrap this season up without thanking my boss Dawn and her husband Jeff, who let me blog at their house for the entire sixth season. I'd like to think I made AI addicts out of both of them, but that's probably not true.

Finally...on a more random note, if you're wondering what Blake whispered to Jordin right before Seacrest gave the results, I have an answer. According to this article, he said, "I love you, Jordin Sparks" and "If it comes down to me singing the last song, will you do a duet with me?"

There you go.

still feeling the spark...

Wow. AI is over. For now.

Preliminary results indicate this season's finale ratings were down 19 percent from last year's, according to this article. That doesn't mean much, though, since the unofficial numbers only measured the 8-10 p.m. time frame and the show reportedly wrapped up at 10:03.

Still not surpised about Jordin's win, although it does prevent me from repeatedly uttering the infamous "I told you so." I think I'll survive.

I won't dissect Jordin's win, but I will note that this season's finale noticeably gave the 12 finalists considerably less face time than finalists of seasons past. Not sure if this was because of the pack's lackluster vocal quality, or a deliberate change in direction.

But I didn't really love it. I remember earlier finales when virtually every one of the 12 contestants got to do a duet with a celeb. Wasn't it weird that Sanjaya got his own number and Lakisha didn't even get to duet on "Wind Beneath My Wings"?

We didn't even get to see Blake and Jordin that much. And how come Jordin, who basically everyone knew would win, got stuck doing her duet with Ruben Studdard? Seriously. Could they not have pooled anyone cooler?

Anyone else think we were treated to two hours of B-list overdrive?

final thoughts. for now.

So Jordin won.

I'm very devastated right now. OK, not really. I think I kind of knew this would happen the instant I heard Blake utter a song lyric that included a phrase like "surrounded by love." Not an incredibly shocking finale, but I still kind of wish Blake would have taken the prize.

But the outcome isn't horrible. Things could have been worse. And the real telling sign, I guess, will come in record sales.

OK, I'm dropping the mic for tonight. What did you think? Are you happy with the outcome? What about your overall impressions of the seasons? Think there's any truth to the rumors that Blake threw Tuesday's finale?

JORDIN WINS!!!!

OK, results time. Some 74 million people voted.

Judges give final thoughts. Randy goes with Jordin, Paula says nothing coherent, Simon says Jordin.

What did Blake just whisper to Jordin?

Results...

JORDIN WINS!!!!

overtime

Wow. It's 10 p.m. and still no results. Just saying.

beatle mania

Time for an AI tribute to Sgt. Pepper. Kelly Clarkson sings, accompanied by Joe Perry. OK, Joe Perry is very old.

They leave the stage and Taylor Hicks comes on. Looks like we're going to be treated to a block of Beatles covers. Taylor looks like he's constipated.

And now Carrie's on. She looks super hot. Sorry I don't know any of the titles of these songs. Awww...all the girls from this season come up behind her. A good performance, one that solidifies why Carrie won.

Ruben goes last, and sings "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds." And all the kids join him.

Ruben leaves, and it's time for the big finale with this season's top 12. They sing "A Little Help from My Friends." How cute. I almost believe that they like each other.

bette makes jerry cry

And now the show goes downhill. Bette Midler just hit the stage. Random. She sings "Wind Beneath My Wings," in a metallic getup that's possibly more horrendous than Jordin Sparks in a trapeze dress.

I could totally do without this performance, though. It wouldn't be as bad if Bette didn't decide to do a seductive hip swirl mid-song. Inappropriate.

But the shot of Jerry Springer crying at the end? Priceless.

taylor and ruben show up

Taylor Hicks performance. Didn't love it. Wish Daughtry would have won.

And for another former Idol...Ruben comes back to perform "You're All I Need to Get By" with Jordin. OK, I'd so much rather perform with Doug E. Fresh than Ruben Studdard. Whatever. The performance wasn't fabulous, and actually it just made realize I've pretty much wasted two hours tonight waiting for results.

On the good side, it seems like Paula has her muzzle on tonight.

heroes on a green day

Green Day performance. They sing John Lennon's "Working Class Hero," which is kind of a downer right now. There's all these lights telling us to stop violence and embrace peace. Or whatever. Definitely in line with AI's emphasis on greed and commercialism.

Do you think LaKisha has any idea what's going on right now?

Weird part? The "instant karma" message that flashed on the screen at the end of the performance. Blake was so all over that.

sanjaya, sanjaya, sanjaya

OK, something really weird. A performance by the African Children's Choir. In animal print. Bet Ryan wouldn't have said "bitch" last night if they were around.

Whoa. Sanjaya gets his own satirical promo segment.

And he's performing with with Joe Perry from Aerosmith! And he's singing "You Really Got Me"! And the crying girl is in the audience! Sanjaya is such a rock god.

all about carrie

Carrie Underwood performance. She does "Stand by Me," which debuted during the AI telethon. It's a solid performance, but Kelly's still my favorite Idol. Still, Carrie's great, and my viewing partner Lisa totally wants to her.
OK, Clive Davis hits the stage for an "American Idol report card." Is it weird that the majority of people he's congratulating didn't even win the show? And where was Clive on his token "Clive chooses the songs" week?
Finally, he takes a break to present an award to Carrie for selling 6 million records. Congratulations, girl. Taylor Hicks probably doesn't feel that cool now.

ticket to ride

Time for one last Ford commercial. Did we really need that?
Of course. I needed one song to be permanently ruined my memory. This one is to "Time After Time," and it's all about the outtakes from the earlier Ford commercials.
And Jordin and Blake each got mustangs. Anyone else wanna go on a road trip with me and Blake?

mel takes the stage

Now a Melinda Doolittle performance. She sings with Bebe and Cece Winans, artists for whom she sang backup in the past. I'm all over this...but honestly, couldn't they have paired her with somebody new? I mean, big deal. She was singing with those people before she even went on AI. She must feel like she's gotten really far in life.
And the necklace? Not helping the lack of neck.

you gotta have friends...

Back to the Golden Idol awards.

Best buddies...goes to Jonathan and Kenneth, those two disabled kids who auditioned. Remember when Simon called Kenneth a bush baby? We actually got a pic of a real bush baby, and the AI producers have sponsored one on his behalf. Biggest lesson? Um, Kenneth actually does look like a bush baby.

The nominees for this one were good, though. They were joined by Antonella and Amanda, as well as Seacrest and Simon. Is anyone else over their bantering?

for once in my life

OK, time for a Tony Bennett performance. He sings "For Once in My Life," and I think I fell asleep midway through. I wonder how old Tony Bennett was when Sanjaya was born...
Gotta love the D-list celebs in the audience, though. I want Jerry Springer to sing!

women in white

Now a performance by the top 6 female contestants. They're all in white, and I'd make some comment about purity if Gina wasn't here. Tongue ring or not.
It's a motown theme again, and they're joined by Gladys Knight. Look...I really do know old stars.
All in all, the medley's pretty good, although I have some serious fashion concerns. Let's just say Jordin plus trapeze dress equals horrendous.
But at least we got a shot of David Hasselhoff in the audience.

not so silent night

OK, back to the Golden Idol awards.

Most Original Vocal...goes to Silandric, the guy who sang "If Ever I'm in Your Arms" during auditions. You may or may not remember him. Once he's pulled on stage, Randy inexplicably asks him to sing "Silent Night." Looks like somebody's borrowing holiday-inducing drugs from Paula.

wiki-wiki-wiki

Plug for the AI band-themed spinoff. Which will probably be the worst show ever.
OK, now something way cooler. A beatbox duet between Blake Lewis and Doug E. Fresh. Basically this is the best performance of the whole season. I don't even naturally love beatboxing, but this is by far the most innovative thing to hit the AI stage. Ever.
I could have done without the Blake hat, though. And seriously...couldn't Blake's dad find something other than a Hawaiian shirt to wear tonight?

men in white

Time for a group performance of this season's six male contestants. They're all in white, with no major vocal standouts. But Sanjaya's back! Or, should I say...an art student from Rhode Island.
Anyway, it's a motown theme, and they're joined by some really weird guy I don't know. I miss my fellow Ripon College alum Al Jarreau from last year's finale.
I feel really stupid for not knowing who the guest singer is. But something tells me Chris Sligh has absolutely no idea who he is, either.
Sorry to let you down, guys.

and the winner is...

Best Performance...goes to Margaret Fowler. Remember her, the lady who auditioned in the fluffy yellow Big Bird getup? And was like 57 years old? She hits the stage, belly fat and all, and plants a massive kiss on Seacrest. Is she drunk? And her phone spontaneously starts ringing. Way to represent Atlanta. Um, she's like the black Anna Nicole Smith. (Thanks for the joke, Lisa.)

OK, I guess that was the end of the awards. I have absolutely no idea what is going on. Except that this season is going to be over after tonight.

never again

Score! Kelly Clarkson's on stage. She's rocking some serious rage, with a performance of "Never Again" from her new disc. Too bad that phrase also refers to the chances of her returning to the Idol stage again. All in all, a great performance. Complain about this song all you like, but I love Kelly. Two words: original Idol.
And now for something slightly worse.
No, not a Haley Scarnato performance.
Time for the Golden Idol awards.

a duo & a human cupcake

And here we go. My last live night of blogging this season! Yes! That's bittersweet, of course.
Show kicks off with a Blake/Jordin performance to "I Couldn't Dance with Another." Or whatever that song is called. Seriously...what do these two talk about between rehearsals? It seems like they have absolutely nothing in common.
Cue to a Gwen Stefani performance. The song is called "4 a.m." Too bad she looks like a cupcake. Let's just say I've looked way better than that at 4 a.m.
Stay tuned. One hour, 50 minutes to go.

the end is near

Yowza. It seems like just yesterday I was searching online for scantily clad pics of Antonella Barba.

Wait a minute...maybe that WAS yesterday. I think I stopped caring about these people, um, 11 weeks ago.

Anyway...Blake or Jordin? Jordin or Blake? Honestly, I could care less at this point, although I'm still rooting for Blake. Don't laugh (loudly), but for an hour I actually tried to vote for him on all three of his phone lines last night. Did I get through? No.

I'm pretty much 100 percent annoyed by Jordin at this point. I think her tears were rehearsed and fake, plus she took on the last song like she had already won the competition. Also, if you're still going to argue the producers are completely neutral, you better have a pretty darn good argument.

They picked the last song of the night -- supposedly the most influential -- and the tune clearly favored Jordin. I've always thought each contestant should have his or her own final song, one consistent with the genre of their first record.

If last night's finale dampened your spirits, take pleasure in these cool tibits:

*Sanjaya is claiming he's not really an aspiring singer after all, but rather some guy named Bill Vendall doing an art project for the Rhode Island School of Design. Yikes. Read more here.

*Looks like the so-called amateur songwriters who penned "This is My Now" aren't so amateur after all. One of the two guys has written over 150 songs for artists like John Tesh. Here's the whole story.

*Finally, savor Simon while you can. The bitterly honest judge says he's leaving AI after three more seasons, according to this article.

So see, there is an end in sight. See you guys tonight for live blogging as usual.

somebody's going home

So the show closes against the backdrop of Daughtry performing "Home" with a montage of best-of moments playing in the background. Moral of the story? You don't have to win the show to sell millions of records. Aww.
Anyway, looks like Jordin came out of tonight's episode yards beyond Blake, although I agree Blake is 10 times an entertainer. I say she'll come out as the clear choice to win, even though -- to preserve my own dignity -- I'm still rooting for Blake.
No, he's not perfect, but I think he embodies the show's spirit of pulling talent out of nowhere and making a star out of some random kid with a dream.
But again...does anyone even care who wins?
I'm more concerned with Randy's military-inspired jacket...I was waiting him to demand Seacrest drop and give him 20. Also, you had to love the D-list celebs in the audience. And was anyone else creeped out by the apparent man date between Phil and Chris Richardson?
Send me your thoughts.

jordin. now.

6. Jordin
Song: "This is My Now"
Me: Clearly a better vocal than Blake...in fact, she was way out of her league. But this song had Jordin's name written all over it. It's the fluffy stuff she thrives on. I won't criticize her, though. If this is the single the first winner will record, she'd clearly sell more records. Blake struggled, rightly so. He lost this round.
Randy: "You were the best singer tonight. You deserve it all, baby."
Paula: "You have a lot to be proud of."
Simon: "You just wiped the floor with Blake on that song."
Score: 9/10

blake. now.

Time to reveal the winners of the songwriting contest. Two guys from Seattle. It's called "This is My Now." Ouch. Not looking good.

5. Blake
Song: "This is My Now"
Me: Is anyone else really turned on by Blake's sparkly sweater vest? No? OK, guess I'll move on. Actually, this isn't that bad of a vocal. It's kind of good, actually, once you get past the fact that this song was absolutely not at all conducive to beatboxing. You can tell Blake is frustrated to finish with a song not in line with his creativity...but at least he's not singing "Do I Make You Proud," right? Surprisingly, though, I like it better than his rendition of "She Will be Loved," and I know it's because of the magical sweater vest. Delicious.
Randy: "You did a pretty good job with it. It was all right."
Paula: "I think you did a great job on the song."
Simon: "I thought it was all a little odd, to be honest with you."
Score: 7/10

jordin ain't broken

4. Jordin
Song: "A Broken Wing"
Me: Glad Jordin chose to do this song again...it was probably my favorite choice of hers this season. Seems like she slowed down the tempo a bit since the first time she sang it. It's just as solid as the first time, though, and Jordin seems have gotten her groove back since the first round. I'd easily give this round to her, as this performance is another example of her comparatively strong technical skills.
Randy: "That was flawless. That was unbelievable."
Paula: "You are a great, great vocal voice tonight."
Simon: "Now that was good."
Score: 9/10

will blake be loved?

3. Blake
Song: "She Will be Loved"
Me: Whoa. Blake chooses a song designed to showcase his vocals. This might be disastrous. And I'm right. I see what he was going for, but he should have opted for more of the catchy beatboxing stuff that got him into the finals in the first place. This song is all about vocals, and even though Blake might still be living off the high of the new Maroon 5 CD, he's certainly no Adam Levine. He should have learned his lesson with the mixed reaction to last week's "This Love." Plus, I think it's always a good practice to not choose songs by the same band in back-to-back weeks. He's OK on the chorus, but it safe choice that lacks his characteristic uniqueness. But he's wearing argyle, and that's always hot.
Randy: "Great song, and a very nice vocal."
Paula: "You sounded great."
Simon: "I actually wouldn't have chosen that song in the final."
Score: 7/10

blake loves, jordin fights

Coin toss. Blake wins, and he chooses going first over going second.

1. Blake
Song: "You Give Love a Bad Name"
Me: Even better than the first time, with the inevitable beatboxing. Actually, it's beatbox heavy, perhaps more so than the first version. Vocals, again, aren't incredible. But he proves he's a good entertainer, which is why he made it into the finals.
Randy: "I give you a 10 out of 10 on the beatboxing...the singing, for me, was just all right"
Paula: "I wish I could give you more than a 10."
Simon: "You're not the best singer, but you are the best performer."
Score: 9/10

2. Jordin Sparks
Song: "Fighter"
Me: Not necessarily Jordin's best, surprisingly she sounds slightly nervous. It's off-key at points, and I can't say I love it. I prefer it when she opts for ballads. Vocals aren't horrible, but I've seen better. Hopefully she'll up her game for round two.
Randy: "I feel like we've got the great entertainer against the great singer."
Paula: "You were stellar. Awesome."
Simon: "I thought the vocals actually were a bit shrieky in the middle...I'm going to call round one to Blake."
Score: 8/10

*Paula calls round one a tie.
*Randy give entertaining win to Blake, vocal win to Jordin

ryan nose what's up

And here we go. Wow. It's only 8:03 and Seacrest is already out of control.
He asked Paula all about her broken nose -- no bandage, btw -- and after she noted she was injured while tripping over her dog, she added the dog suffered no injuries. So then Seacrest said, "So the bitch is OK."
Whoa.
Obligatory filler sequence about how both Blake and Jordin auditioned in Seattle. And I guess the songwriting winner came from Seattle, too. Big deal.

it's almost on

Counting the hours until tonight's episode...recap: Blake and Jordin will sing one song they've already performed, one new song of their own choosing and -- gag -- the song that won the AI songwriting contest (which reportedly was a flop).

More importantly...expect lots of stupid jokes over Paula's broken nose. Just think...she'll be on more drugs than normal.

Seriously. Does anyone even care who wins?

The show starts at 8/7c on Fox.

now for jordin...

JORDIN SPARKS

Who she is: The bubbly, curly-haired daughter of a former NFL star. She resides in Arizona.

What she does: Belt, hit power notes and don empire-waist dresses. All while flashing her token smile.

Best performance: Likely her take on Martina McBride's "A Broken Wing," after which judge Simon Cowell said, "I actually believe, based on that performance, you could win 'American Idol.'"

Worst performance: A rendition of Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer," which came out screechy and desperate. Cowell also compared her look to something out of "The Addams Family." Ouch.

Cool facts: She appeared on "America's Most Talented Kids" in 2004, and won a plus-size model search for Torrid in 2006. Also, she's appeared with Alice Cooper and toured with Christian vocalist Michael W. Smith. She performed at some pro-life events while living in Arizona.

Why you should vote for her: Comparatively, she's been very consistent vocally, offering talent well beyond her youth. Her bubbly personality and good looks make her a prime candidate for the AI brand.

Why you shouldn't: Some viewers think she's boring, and others raise questions about her maturity and ability to handle fame. Recently, she ignited debate when it appeared as if she feigned tears after a contestant was ousted. And last week, she talked back to Cowell.

if you've been living in a cave...

Here's a rundown on the two contestants performing in tonight's finale, starting with Mr. Beatbox himself:

BLAKE LEWIS

Who he is: A 25-year-old blonde guy from Washington state who looks like he belongs in a boy band.

What he does: Beatbox...put a "wiki-wiki-wiki" in any pop song and you have an average Blake performance.

Best performance: His take on Bon Jovi's "You Give Love a Bad Name," in which he beatboxed his way into a contemporary version of a rock standard.

Worst performance: A rendition of Tim McGraw's "When the Stars Go Blue" -- bad enough to land him in the bottom three.

Cool facts: After leaving the a cappella group KickShaw, he became a full-time musician and performed under the stage name "Bshorty." He had never seen AI before auditioning for the show. And he owns a K-Fed CD, something he admits on the official AI site.

Why you should vote for him: He's probably the most innovative contestant in AI history, he's a good entertainer and he has no problem putting a contemporary twist on an old classic. In the week of the final three, when the contestants had the opportunity to choose their own song, he was the only one who didn't pick one from earlier in the season.

Why you shouldn't: Vocally, he isn't always up to par. And he's been in the bottom three once, while Jordin's never had that position. Plus, some people worry that his creativity might be stifled under the hold of an AI contract.

and then there were two

Hope everyone had a great weekend. I've officially recovered from the shock -- or, more appropriately, the annoyance of hearing everyone call it a shock -- of seeing Mel go. Now, I'm ready to kiss this season goodbye on Wednesday.

Can't wait to see Sanjaya's ponyhawk, Phil's cancer patient hat and Gina's controversial tongue ring again. Oh, and I guess we're going to have to name a winner, too. Blake or Jordin? Jordin or Blake? I'll be posting regular updates as the showdown approaches, beginning with this week-by-week recap of each of their song choices. It's long, but a necessary refresher. Here we go, starting with week one of the semifinals:

Semifinal No. 1: Contestants' choice

Blake: "Somewhere Only We Know"

Jordin: "Give Me One Reason"

Winner: Blake...this week marked the debut of his originality, even sans beatboxing

Semifinal No. 2: Contestants' choice

Blake: "Virtual Insanity"

Jordin: "Reflection"

Winner: Blake, hands down. Jordin was cliche this week and I even picked her to go home.

Semifinal No. 3: Contestants' choice

Blake: "All Mixed Up"

Jordin: "Heartbreaker"

Winner: Jordin...for stepping out of her comfort zone and rocking out. On key.

Final No. 1: Diana Ross

Blake: "You Keep Me Hanging On"

Jordin: "If We Hold on Together"

Winner: Jordin...sure, her "Land Before Time" theme was corny, but I liked it over Blake's attempt to mess with a motown classic.

Final No. 2: British Invasion

Blake: "Time of the Season"

Jordin: "I (Who Have Nothing)"

Winner: Blake...just because I loved hearing him say "who's your daddy?"

Final No. 3: Pop

Blake: "Love Song"

Jordin: "Hey Baby"

Winner: Neither was especially memorable, but I'll give it to Jordin for taking a risk.

Final No. 4: Classics

Blake: "Mack the Knife"

Jordin: "On a Clear Day"

Winner: Again, kind of a draw...but Blake takes it over Jordin's feel-good corniness

Final No. 5: Latin Week

Blake: "I Need to Know"

Jordin: "Rhythm is Gonna Get You"

Winner: Blake, no contest...remember Jordin's ugly black mom pants?

Final No. 6: Country

Blake: "When the Stars Go Blue"

Jordin: "A Broken Wing"

Winner: Jordin...this week landed Blake in the bottom three.

Final No. 7: Inspirational songs

Blake: "Imagine"

Jordin: "You'll Never Walk Alone"

Winner: A slight draw, since Blake was unoriginal and Jordin was screechy. I go with Jordin.

Final No. 8: Bon Jovi

Blake: "You Give Love a Bad Name"

Jordin: "Livin' on a Prayer"

Winner: Blake, overwhelmingly. Arguably Blake's best week and Jordin's worst.

Final No. 9: Bee Gees

Blake: "You Should be Dancing," "This is Where I Came In."

Jordin: "To Love Somebody," "Woman in Love"

Winner: Jordin, this is the week when Blake's beatboxing took a downward spiral.

Final No. 10: Judges' choice, producers' choice, contestant's choice

Blake: "Roxanne," "This Love," "When I Get You Alone"

Jordin: "Wishing on a Star," "She Works Hard for the Money," "I (Who Have Nothing)"

Winner: Blake, since Jordin was comparatively predictable and unoriginal

Final score puts Blake ahead by one win. Looks like I'm a Blaker girl. Where do you stand?

personality, personality, personality

I'm a little annoyed by the fact that everybody keeps calling Melinda's elimination a "shocker." Not true. These are probably the same people who still think AI is a talent competition.

In summary, Melinda sang well, but she was stiff. Let's just say she was a former backup singer for a reason. Think she never had the opportunity to step into the spotlight? Think again. She probably had plenty of opportunities, but was denied because she didn't have the personality that's so central to star power.

Is Melinda's elimination some gross injustice to popular culture? Hardly. I'm willing to venture that there are plenty of struggling singers out there who can sing better than 75 percent of today's hot artists. But they don't know how to make waves.

And even though it isn't the American public's job to market the show's eventual winner, viewers like to take on that responsibility. Whether or not it's warranted, people consider things like marketability when they're casting their votes. Why shouldn't they? They're the ones who will ultimately buy -- or not buy -- the winner's CD.

Finally, let's not forget that this show is about unpredictability, the same thrill you get during the auditions when you don't know if the fat guy approaching the judges is going to fail or blow you out of the park. As strange as it sounds, Melinda was too consistent. She was too fail-safe, too technically superior, too perfect.

I don't think voters want that in the finale. They want someone human, not a vocal fembot who always woos judges beyond belief. Part of AI's appeal is its emphasis on progression -- the idea that some kid can go from singing in his or her parents' basement to receiving a standing ovation at the Kodak Theater.

Melinda, it seemed, was already there.

And let's just say her "Death Cheater" T-shirt last night didn't help, either. What was THAT about?

peace out, shrek

This is not a talent competition.
I remember I said that in the early stages of the competition, and a bunch of my viewing partners laughed at me and tried to disagree. Those same people said Melinda would win. Look who's laughing now.
Melinda's elimination is perhaps the best example of the fact that AI isn't a talent-driven show. Throughout the entire season, she was a technically superior artist, but lacked the personality of an Idol. Producers, in turn, seemed to downplay her because they, too, realized she wasn't marketable.
Add the fact that the gender odds were stacked against her and you have a recipe for elimination.
My support goes to Blake. I think Jordin's too much of a diva.
Sorry, Chad. But glad your 200 votes paid off.

melinda's out!

Blake and Melinda are left.
And Melinda's OUT!!!!
Wow.

jordin's safe

OK, results time. I'm nervous.
Jordin's first, which probably means she's safe.
And she's safe!
Guess I was wrong.

wondering about fillers

Time to plug the band-based AI spinoff. I wonder if I'll be blogging that one...
OK, a Maroon 5 performance. They obviously do their current single, "Makes Me Wonder." Adam from Maroon 5 is HOT, and I wish my co-worker Brad was here right now so he could talk more about the time he interviewed him.
I wonder what Blake's thinking right now. He's so imagining himself as the band's new lead beatboxing singer. I just caught a brief shot of Blake dancing alone while Jordin and Melinda clapped mindlessly.
Blake is clearly watching one of his musical idols right now. Wish Seacrest would have asked the band what they thought of "This Love" last night.
A good performance, though, and I look forward to their next disc.

bored

Like I just said, there's 15 minutes left in the show, so we'll probably have to hold out another 10 minutes for results.
And hey...does anyone else think it's weird we haven't gotten a group performance yet?

bored

Like I just said, there's 15 minutes left in the show, so we'll probably have to hold out another 10 minutes for results.
And hey...does anyone else think it's weird we haven't gotten a group performance yet?

everybody wants results

Cue to the Ford commercial. This time, it's to "Everybody Wants You," depicting each of the finalists as kids.
Now it's time for Melinda's trip home to Nashville, a trip she said she looked forward to because of the sweet tea. Wow, she even got a street named after her. And she even went to church. Where a whole bunch of people interrupted her speech with noise makers.
She so looks like Shrek right now.
Recap, again, of judges' comments. Hmm...it's 9:45 and we still need a Maroon 5 performance. Could this be real results?
No. Plug for the AI spinoff, and tease to the Maroon 5 performance.

mr. tumnus returns!

Time for an Elliot Yamin performance. Whoa. He looks really different. With the new long hair and the altered teeth, I can't compare him to Mr. Tumnus from "Narnia." OK, actually I can still do that. And I will. He definitely wins the award for the best physical transformation since Kellie Pickler's alleged breast implants.
I'm not crazy about the song, or Elliot's hip new look. Part of what made him so endearing as an AI contestant was his awkwardness, the fact that he wasn't totally style savy but still managed to turn out strong performances and connect to the audience on a human level.
Post-performance, Seacrest asks the judges for their impressions, and obviously nobody -- even Simon -- says anything bad because that would harm the credibility of the show.
All in all, even though I'm not crazy about his R&B career, Elliot seems to have stayed a nice, appreciative, genuine guy...and I love his attempt to plug Porsche on a Ford-sponsored show.
Can you tell I still have a slight crush on him?

nothing new on blake

Time for a one-on-one with Blake, who quickly shoots Seacrest down when he asks if performing with Sir Mix-a-Lot was a dream of his. Blake responded, "Um, I've actually already done a few shows with him."
Nice.
More shots of Blake performing, and a quick zoom-in on one of those disabled kids who caused all the controversy when Simon beat them down (verbally) in the audition round. Blake's dad, now, is tearfully explaining that his own parents died when he was young. Aww...beatbox, please, or I'm totally going to cry right now.
Again, why is the mayor of Bothell, Wash., so young?
Cue to Blake performing Keane's "Somewhere Only We Know." I wish he would perform that again.
Seacrest is recapping Blake's judge scores. Um, I'm not betting on any results.
Yep, "have a seat and we'll get to your results in just a few minutes."
Tease.

jordin's, um, still jordin

Another promo for "Idols Live." Looks like it's the same one we saw last week. I so totally miss Phil Stacey. I wonder what Sanjaya's up to right now...
Time for a Q&A with the contestants. And a look at Jordin's trip home. My favorite part was when she introduced us to her best friend Bailey because that's my dog's name. And we got another shot of her singing "I Who Have Nothing." Um, OK...somebody only knows only one song.
Recap of Jordin's judge reactions. Wow. Is it results time already?
No, Seacrest's just being a tease.

results, but not yet

OK, results time again. Do I really have to sit through another hour of fillers? Don't answer that. Looks like we have performances by Elliot Yamin and Maroon 5 on tonight's agenda. And, of course, results. But those won't come until 9:53.

In the meantime, we got the predictable recap, plus a rather entertaining animated intro by Homer Simpson. Subtly plugging the Simpsons movie, obviously.

Stay tuned.

ready to roll

Checking in before tonight's show. Thanks so much for all the great comments, guys. Super fan Chad, I hope your 200 votes pay off. And I have to give major props to the anonymous commenter who said Jordin looked like she was having menstrual cramps while singing "I Who Have Nothing." Congratulations. You're the funniest person in the world.

There's about three more hours until the fun begins, and I'm still pretty divided on who's going home tonight. I could discuss this for hours and hours...but that would give me a headache. Bottom line? It boils down to whether Blake's stage charisma will overpower the girls' consistent vocals, but comparatively lackluster stage presence.

I still say the majority of people are rooting for a Jordin/Melinda finale, but honestly I'd like to see Blake go all the way. I know, I know...I'm floundering.

So I'm gonna get all buck wild and go out on a limb and say Jordin's going home.

Why? I have no idea. I'd just like to see who Chad will vote for if his favorite is out.

MY PICKS

So the top three performed without any major glitches or train wrecks, but at the same time they also didn't offer much in the way of risk-taking or uniqueness. Each singer performed three songs, and the round in which songs were chosen by the judges was ironically the worst of the night. Which again makes us question their credibility.

Melinda came out on top, almost undoubtedly. She boasted the same vocal talent we've seen in weeks past, but nicely served up some attitude-driven performances to prove she's really not that boring. And it kind of work.

Jordin didn't stumble, but hardly garnered the excessive praise from the judges that we've grown to expect. Her songs were far from lackluster -- they could be dubbed excellent, even -- but she didn't do much in the way of creativity and talking back to Simon in round three probably didn't help, either.

Blake, finally, was the worst vocally...and was pretty mediocre until his third-round take on Robin Thicke. Even though Randy criticized, Simon actually -- kinda -- sang his praises.

Who's going to the finale? Logic says Melinda and Jordin. I've never hated Blake, but the two ladies would simply be more fun to watch. And I don't think he did anything to sway new voters this week.

Thoughts?

judges' picks

Ryan closes the show by asking the judges their picks for the final two. Randy says he's rooting for a two-girl finale, Paula bails out of the question as usual and Simon says he wants to see Melinda in the finals. He doesn't mention anybody else.

And that, Ms. Sparks, is exactly why you don't talk back to the judges.

hear melinda roar

9. Melinda Doolittle
Song: "I'm a Woman"
Me: Another song choice performed earlier in the season. Overall, a safe bet that sounds just as strong as when she sang it the first time. Wish we could've seen something new, though. Then again, I'm just happy she didn't opt for a ballad. I'm glad that -- outside Randy's song selection -- she did mainly attitude-driven songs tonight. Should be enough to secure her spot in the final two.
Randy: "That was hot again."
Paula: "You're stepping out into the spotlight with no regrets, no looking back."
Simon: "Loved the little striptease at the top." (She took off a jacket or something. Big deal.)
He also said she deserves a spot in the final two.
Score: 8/10

blake gets us alone

8. Blake Lewis...shows some cool footage beatboxing with Sir Mix-a-Lot to "Baby Got Back" on his trip home. Sweet.
Song: "When I Get You Alone" by Robin Thicke
Me: Looks like contestants aren't confined to the songs they sang this season, which makes Jordin's selection look significantly less creative. Hate me for liking Blake, but I think this performance is pretty cool. Another nice balance of beatboxing and actual singing that's surprisingly on-par. Bonus points for creativity give him a slight edge in this round.
Randy: "It was all right, man. It was all right."
Paula: "I think you had three great performances."
Simon: "I actually really liked that."
Score: 8/10

jordin gives 'nothing' everything

Final round is contestant's choice. This should be interesting.

7. Jordin Sparks
Song: "I Who Have Nothing"
Me: Looks like the contestants are singing their favorite songs from the season, rather than their favorite songs period. Weird. Anyway, I don't really know what else to say about this song. Um, hello, I already blogged about it like four weeks ago. It's just as consistent and powerful as it was the first time...but if contestants had entirely free reign over their song choice, I kinda wish she would have been a little more creative.
Randy: "I think that was your best performance of the night."
Paula: "You just sounded really great."
Simon: "There's a part of me that hated the fact that a 17-year-old was singing a 60-year-old's song. I actually wished you'd chosen another song."
Score: 7/10

Drama, briefly. Jordin talks back to Simon -- or tries to -- by reminding him that the song he chose for her in round one was from the 1970s. Edgy, but probably not a good move at this stage in the competition.

melinda pushes her limits

6. Melinda Doolittle...also gets a viewer question. Who was your idol growing up and why? She says her mom.
Song: "Nutbush City Limits"
Me: I was waiting for Melinda to pull out some Tina Turner. I'd rather see her do "Proud Mary," but this performance is impressive. At this point we know she can pull off almost anything vocally, but this song stands out because we get to see the edgy, rocker grrl side of Mel that's usually buried in ballads. Very strong, and again...this one is miles above the judges' choices.
Randy: "I liked that."
Paula: "What else can we say? We love you, we love you and we love you."
Simon: "Loved that side of you."
Score: 8/10

Seacrest asks who took the round. Simon calls it a tie, and the other judges agree. They said Melinda won the first round.

jordin works hard, blake shows love

Now it's time for a song selected by "the producers." Wonder if that includes Clive Davis...
4. Jordin...is lucky enough to get a viewer question. What is your fave song of all time? Her answer is "Mmmbop." Wow. My respect for her just increased exponentially.
Song: "She Works Hard for the Money"
Me: Suddenly, I'm smitten over Jordin after learning she's a fellow Hanson fan. Seriously, though, this is an especially good performance and I like it much better than the first one. The edgy, up-tempo stuff, in my opinion, is a stronger fit for her. She's not trapped in the belting diva stereotype. Plus, this performance is edgy and fast-paced without the screaming we saw in her take on Bon Jovi.
Randy: "That was hot, too."
Paula: "You worked hard for the money tonight."
Simon: "Actually it was a very good performance."
Score: 8/10

5. Blake...also gets a viewer question. If they were to make a movie about your life, who would play you and what would it be called? "Organized chaos" starring Jim Carrey, he says.
Song: "This Love"
Me: Again, good song choice. Standard vocals, and -- wow -- the beatboxing resurfaces mid-song. All in all, I think Maroon 5 is a good match for Blake. The nice thing about this performance is that he does a nice balance of beatboxing and real singing without being over-the-top or using the whole beatboxing thing as a vocal crutch.
Randy: "Very nicely done."
Paula: "You're totally in your element. This is a good night for you."
Simon: "Actually, I prefered that song to the first one."
Score: 8/10

believe in you and melinda

3. Melinda Doolitte...Randy, obviously, picks her song. Here it goes:
Song: "I Believe in You and Me"
Me: In agreement with an article I read earlier this week, I think it's kind of ironic that the judges always tell the contestants to stray away from songs by "legends" like Whitney Houston, and then pick one of those songs for them to sing. Whatever. It's inevitably a good performance, consistent with what we've grown to expect out of Melinda. Still, I'm surprised Randy didn't choose something to bring out that "edge" that the judges have spent the past couple weeks complaining about.
Randy: "That was hot. You blew it out the box."
Paula: "You were fantastic...I think one of your best performances this season."
Simon: "I think it was your best performance in the last four weeks."
Score: 8/10

Brief obligatory Seacrest/Simon banter in which Simon asks Seacrest if he's drunk. Um, shouldn't we direct that question to Paula?

blake does roxanne

2. Blake Lewis...Ryan describes the mayor of Blake's town as "young-looking." And yes, he is very hot as well. Looks like Paula chose Blake's song for the night.
Song: "Roxanne"
Me: A much better-fitting song choice over Jordin's, in my opinion. It started of shakily, but in the end I think it's one of the better vocals Blake has demonstrated this season. Miles above what we saw last week. He decides to go sans beatboxing, which seems to some extent deprive him of the uniqueness that in the past has separated him from the pack. Still, he pulls it off without any major catastrophes.
Randy: "Great, great performance."
Paula: "You did me proud, Blake."
Simon: "I'm not going to call that earth-shattering because it wasn't."
Score: 7/10

jordin wishes on a star

Right to business tonight. Some footage of Jordin's trip home, in which the mayor reveals Simon's song choice for her. That means round one will consist of judges' choices. Let's see how it goes.

1. Jordin Sparks
Song: "Wishing on a Star"
Me: Kind of disappointed in Simon's song choice, I had pretty high hopes after he had such success pairing Kat McPhee with "Over the Rainbow" last year. Still, it's a classic Jordin performance, meaning strong vocals and especially contagious stage presence. Not an especially memorable one, though, and again I'm suprised Simon didn't choose something that would challenge her more vocally. We definitely saw a stronger showing in earlier weeks. Hopefully she'll peak at her third performance tonight.
Randy: "That was a very good vocal."
Paula: "Simon picked a good song for you."
Simon: "You sang it brilliantly, Jordin....even though I chose the song, Jordin, it wasn't actually one of your better performances."
Score: 7/10

three's company

Checking in before tonight's episode. Turns out my suspicions for song themes were correct -- one chosen by the contestants, one chosen by the judges, one chosen by producer Clive Davis. Can't wait to see what happens. Kinda.

Naturally, everyone and their mother are making predictions about who's going to end up in the finale. Looks like the majority of viewers are rooting for a Melinda/Jordin finale, although I think some people underestimate the way that Blake, as a male, could go all the way because of split female votes.

This morning, I read that Kelly Clarkson is rooting for Jordin and Blake. Also, you might want to check out this MTV article in which former AI contestants Tamyra Gray, Anthony Federov and Kevin Covais analyze the ins and outs of season six. In the end, they're pretty much divided between Jordin and Melinda when it comes to choosing a winner.

Remember, though, that none of them -- Tamyra, Anthony or Kevin -- made it to the top three stage.

See you tonight.

spoilers

Hope everybody had a great weekend. Not too much AI news...still trying to decipher the format for Tuesday's show. Tradition says it will be one song chosen by producer Clive Davis, one song chosen by the judges and one song that's each contestant's personal choice.

Who knows if this season will follow the same format. I guess it has been confirmed, however, that one of the three songs will be judges' choice. Allegedly Simon got Jordin, Paula got Blake and Randy got Melinda. If you want to know which songs they chose -- reportedly -- click here.

Enjoy the rest of your Monday.

holy idol

Happy Friday, everyone. Get some rest this weekend and gear up for another exciting week on "Idol."

One short item of gossip...Jordin could be receiving piles of votes from the Christian right, according to this article. It discusses a photo circulating online of her holding a "Stop Abortion Now" sign. Also, Jordin has performed at events hosted by the Arizona Right to Life. See pics here.

I don't think the stance alone is enough to account for her success -- Chris Sligh, also a strong Christian, was eliminated early in the competition -- but it raises some interesting questions about the extent to which people factor character into their understanding of an Idol.

Think about that over the weekend.

additional thoughts

Still haven't heard confirmation of next week's theme. I assume one song category will be Clive Davis selections as usual. Don't forget that it's the week when the contestants go to their hometowns.

Also...I've noticed more and more comments online regarding a fixed win for Jordin Sparks. Agree?

Think how quickly Ryan announced she was safe both this week and last. Moreover, the judges have been very generous in their praise of her all season. And she's certainly gotten the coveted last-performance-of-the-night spot quite a few times.

A Jordin victory would probably make the most sense for AI producers. She's young, marketable and wouldn't mess with the AI franchise like Blake could.

Can't wait to hear what you think.

making the band. or not.

Per the promo on last night's show, AI producers are definitely moving forward with a reality TV quest to find the best unsigned band in America. Read more here.

Basically, the format is going to be exactly like AI...the top 10 bands will have theme nights, get comments from a panel of judges and get votes from viewers.

This probably seems like the most unsuccessful AI spin-off ever. As the article notes, band-themed reality TV shows have been done before. But the successful ones focused on MAKING a band ("Making the Band") or adding a new member to an existing band ("The Search for the Next Doll).

You just can't have an AI-like competition with bands. Too many people to follow. Viewers already complained that this season was devoid of strong personalities. Imagine what would happen if you had to follow 10 five-member bands. That's 50 people. Um, not happening. I say the show is just further evidence that "Idol" alone is on the decline.

Will you watch it?

lamenting lakisha's loss

While I've recovered from the emotional intensity of last night's show (read: 53 minutes of fillers), I haven't arrived at any new insights regarding LaKisha's departure. She lost her initial thunder long ago, and her relatively long run this season was due mainly to the low caliber of the other contestants rather than LaKisha's talent alone. Once she entered the top tier of singers, her comparative lack of experience was evident...her song choices offered little creativity, she rarely listened to the guest mentors and she demonstrated unimpressive vocal range.

That said, during the "when they were kids" filler segment Wednesday, I started thinking it wouldn't be that bad if LaKisha won. I first became an AI fan not because of the level of talent or the commercial appeal. It was because of the principle of the show. It was about kids from random towns throughout the U.S. Kids who had struggled with fast-food careers and failed trips to Hollywood. Kids who without AI wouldn't have a way of making their dreams come true.

I'm not sure that's the case for two of season six's final three.

Melinda Doolittle is a former backup singer who has performed with Aaron Neville and CeCe Winans. Jordin Sparks is the daughter of a former pro football player. She's appeared with Alice Cooper and toured twice with Christian singer Michael W. Smith.

Is the show still about the American Dream?

You tell me.

not staying alive

No huge surprise tonight.
Regarding LaKisha's departure...I think her decline was largely a result of peaking too early and getting too much commercial attention too soon in the game. Beyond her rendition of "You're Gonna Love Me" in the 24-contestant phase, I can't name a single memorable LaKisha performance during her stay in the top 12.
I never thought she'd win, and I'm kind of smugly smiling at all the fans who in the early stages predicted she'd get the No. 1 title. Hahahaha.
LaKisha's decline, in summary, is a result of a lack of creativity. She had at least three consecutive weeks of poor song choices, a result of not knowing her talent beyond the characteristic belting.
Plus, she simply seemed to get tired...losing not only interest, but the initial spark that briefly convinced us that we really were gonna love her.
Thoughts?

peace out lakisha

Melinda's safe.
Looks like there won't be a surprise tonight.
Simon says LaKisha goes.
And he's right!
LaKisha is out.

random

Forgot to mention a couple things. First, there was a slight sound problem at the start of the group performance. In case you wanted to know.
Also, "Idols Live" tickets go on sale May 19.
Hope everyone's enjoying the show!!

here's barry

Weird promo for "The Band Show," AI producers' quest to find the best unsigned band.
Time for a Barry Gibb performance. He sings "To Love Somebody," and I'm still really craving the Michael Bolton version. It's not a really phenomenal performance or anything, but suddenly I think Barry Gibb is very cute.
No, Barry...YOU don't know what it's like to love somebody.

jordin's safe

OK, the kids are in a group huddle. Do they really care about each other?
Jordin's safe.
And that's all we get. For now.

the fantastic four

Time to interview the contestants. I really learned nothing, except that LaKisha was talking to herself during the commercial break about what to do if she's eliminated tonight. She so thinks she's going home.
Also, another comment about Simon's girlfriend. Awkward.
The kids also got to see a "Fantastic Four" preview, followed by the kids pretending to actually be the Fantastic Four. And Jessica Alba in the audience.
What's next? A segment showing what the contestants were like as kids. It inspired a blog post that you guys will probably see tomorrow.
Get excited.

still no results

Cut to the group performance, which I think is especially bad. Maybe I'm just bitter that they didn't include "How Deep is Your Love" in the Bee Gees medley.
Bill Maher is in the audience. Random.
And Simon and Randy keep imitating Paula's dolphin clap.
Boooooring.

you haven't got me

Cut to the obligatory Ford commercial. This time, it's "You Really Got Me" in a video with a fan mob theme. Something tells that's the only time some of these people are going to be chased by those many people.
Is it bad that I'm craving Sanjaya's version?
Random trivia...this is the second time that the Ford song has been a song done by a season six contestant. The first? "Paint it Black," which was done earlier by Gina Glocksen.

who knew?

Promo for the "Idols Live" tour. The segment is ironically promoted with shots of some of the worst performances of the season. Haley's version of "True Colors," anyone? I also thought it was ironic that LaKisha's "memorable" performance was during the 24-contestant phase. Hello. If that doesn't scream "downfall," what does?
Seacrest follows the segment by telling parents to lock up their daughters because Sanjaya's coming to town.
Does that even need a follow-up funny comment?
Cut to a performance by Pink, who sang "Who Knew." Vocally, it was just OK, but I thought she looked especially awesome.
On another ironic note, Gina Glocksen actually wanted to sing "Who Knew" during her AI run, but Pink doesn't license her songs to the show.
Who knew?

here we go again

So the results show is on, although for all practical purposes the fun doesn't really start until 9:57. Oh well.
In the meantime...we can examine Seacrest's facial hair, which continues to reach scary proportions. Blake is also sporting a characteristically awful T-shirt...this time one of a standard tee with a suit jacket painted on it. Um, you might want to save the Goodwill gear for when you get voted off, dude.
Paula and Simon have also switched seats for unknown reasons. So far, it's resulted in nothing but an awkward Jessica Alba banter. She's hot.
In addition to the Barry Gibb performance, we also have a Pink performance to look forward to. And a preview of "The Fantastic Four."
Slightly less eventful? The obligatory man on the street interviews. Seacrest even followed the segment with a melancholy, "You can tell we have an hour to fill tonight."
Stay tuned.

pure disco?

Still pretty disappointed in the quality of last night's performances. Looks like the majority of fans are still predicting a LaKisha departure, and I still have her as my No. 1 bet for going home, too.l

Don't forget, however, that the final four week has traditionally been a time for major upsets and surprises. Last year, that came in the form of rocker Chris Daughtry's departure. Daughtry has since outsold his fellow season five contestants with his band's disc "Daughtry," which is also the fastest-selling debut rock album in Soundscan history.

Before that, season three's final four saw the premature departure of La Toya London, who was ousted a week before Hawaii's mediocre Jasmine Trias. And don't forget season one, when the four-contestant stage sent Tamyra Gray home. Even though Tamyra was widely perceived as being vocally superior to rocker Nikki McKibbin, and perhaps second-place Justin Guarini as well.

So anything can happen.

Keep the comments coming.

MY PICKS

For a genre characterized by neon hues and infectious dance moves, Bee Gees/disco night inspired some of the most mediocre performances of the season. Ironically this is the one night when I could have used a little Chris Richardson. "How Deep is Your Love," anyone?
Fans brave enough to argue that this season's final four is as strong as last season's were likely shot down during the first half alone, as season six's pack offered nothing near as innovative as the way in which last season's final four handled Elvis tunes.
Even Melinda was off, as her lack of personality surfaced amid performances that were relatively strong vocally, but seemed to lack the proverbial "wow" factor. Even softie Paula Abdul couldn't resist commenting on Melinda's boring stage presence.
Jordin, meanwhile, offered the strongest showings of the night, but largely because of the weak competition. Barry Gibb sang her praises, but I didn't notice anything outside her norm.
Blake gave back-to-back beatboxing performances, but they seemed to lack the creativity of last week's take on Bon Jovi. It appeared as if he was compensating for weak vocals, rather than making songs his own.
Finally, LaKisha succumbed to early predictions that she'd be the one to go home. Her slow, monotonous take on "Stayin' Alive" was coupled with a ballad that offered no real technical skills and uniqueness.
I say she goes home. Thoughts?

jordin's a woman in love

8. Jordin Sparks
Song: "Woman in Love"
Me: Again, Barry Gibb sings her praises, and this time it seems slightly more justified. Probably one of the strongest performances of the night. Still, it seemed almost too mature and too solemn for the overall feel of the night. Comparatively, though, this performance stands out. The ending was strong, but the beginning and middle suffered from some serious pitch problems. I didn't totally hate it, though. And the audience seemed to like it. But I doubt it would have the same effect had Melinda been stronger tonight.
Randy: "It was pitchy."
Paula: "It was not...you know, my dear. I love you anyway."
Simon: "I thought it was old-fashioned and actually very pageanty."
Score: 7/10

run to lakisha

7. LaKisha
Song: "Run to Me"
Me: Obviously a better song choice than the first, but it wasn't strong enough to redeem LaKisha and take her out of the risk pool. She opted for a ballad, which was in line with what we've seen out of her in the past. It wasn't even vocally challenging, and lacked the edge that unexpectedly surfaced on rock week. At the end of the song, it seemed like she knew she could be going home.
Randy: "That was good."
Paula: "You're still a champ."
Simon: "It was better than the first song. It still wasn't great."
Score: 5/10

this is where blake comes in

6. Blake
Song: "This Is Where I Came In."
Me: What part of song choice do these people not understand? Not impressed by Blake tonight. Seems like he got an inflated sense of coolness after last week's performance garnered strong reviews. This is better than his first song of the night, but it's hard for me to enjoy, since I've never heard the song. He beatboxes again, but more as an obligatory filler rather than a way to be innovative and edgy. Again, it's as if he's trying to compensate for weak vocals rather than make a song his own.
Randy: "I'm still not jumping up and down."
Paula: "You are the contemporary rebel in this competition."
Simon: "I found it completely tuneless. I don't know why you chose it."
Score: 6/10

melinda mends her heart

5. Melinda Doolittle (again)...gets a viewer question. What is the first tape she bought? Answer: Michael Jackson, "Bad." And her mom crossed it out and put "Good." Yeah right.
Song: "How Do You Mend a Broken Heart"
Me: In the mentoring segment, we learn she's omitted a line about losing. Because she wants to win "Idol." You wouldn't tell with this performance, though. It's OK, but not even up to par vocally. Again, it lacks the proverbial "wow" factor, with the exception of a strong series of notes toward the end. I'm not crazy about Melinda tonight. She's boring, and I think the judges are underestimating how much that could hurt her. Good singing alone doesn't win this competition.
Randy: "Much better. Great song."
Paula: "Remember that sometimes vocal isn't all of it."
Simon: "I think the second half of that song has put you into the semifinals."
Score: 6/10

to love jordin

4. Jordin Sparks...gets a viewer question. Something about what she's learned. Her answer? Something to the effect of "a lot."
Song: "To Love Somebody"
Me: Well, I have high expectations, since Barry Gibb claims he's never heard a better version of this song than Jordin's. Is it bad that I'm still craving the Michael Bolton version? Still, I'm impressed. Again, a classic Jordin vocal...maybe even a notch above weeks past, because it lacked the characteristic shouting that was bothering me. At the same time, though, it's far from the best version of this song ever.
Randy: "That's probably the best vocal so far."
Paula: "It is the best vocal so far tonight."
Simon: "We're back in the competition."
Song: 8/10

blake's dancing, lakisha's not alive

Haley Scarnato's in the audience. Cool.

2. Blake
Song: "You Should be Dancing"
Me: Somebody decided to pull out his Fischer Price tape recorder and make another custom beatbox version of an old song. This week, however, it didn't work as well, as it appeared like Blake was merely compensating for his vocal shortcomings rather than being innovative or making a song his own. The song started off corny, like a bad Michael Jackson impersonator, and just seemed desperate once the beatboxing came on.
Randy: "Tonight for me, dawg, it really didn't work."
Paula: "Nobody can do what you do and that's great."
Simon: "I thought it was absolutely terrible."
Score: 6/10

3. LaKisha
Song: "Stayin' Alive"
Me: After a refreshing week of surprising creativity, we're back to LaKisha's lackluster song choices and disappointing vocals. Much like her Fantasia/Carrie Underwood weeks, LaKisha's first performance suggested she didn't put any effort into customizing her time on stage. Plus, she slowed down the tempo so much that the song lost its flavor. She looked uncomfortable, sounded mediocre and put herself in harm's way.
Randy: "That was weird for me...It wasn't working, man."
Paula: "Eh."
Simon: "No kiss tonight, baby. We're back to the shouting again."
Score: 5/10

love melinda?

Here we go again.
Barry Gibb is here and he's all over the final four, with the exception of Blake. "I made a lot of records with ladies," the gray-haired songster proudly proclaims.
Let's get this pure disco party started.

1. Melinda Doolittle
Song: "Love You Inside and Out"
Me: Odd song choice, like Gibb said. Still, it's pretty much a classic Melinda performance, though in my mind not necessarily one of her best. Can't find much to critique vocally, but once again there's little evidence of personality, let alone any sort of technical uniqueness. She probably won't be in major danger, but a failure to showcase an "edge" at this stage of the competition could put her in jeopardy later.
Randy: "It was good."
Paula: "Your vocals are great and that's consistent. Thank God."
Simon: "I expect incredible tonight. That was not incredible."
Score: 7/10

spoilers, disco and lakisha. oh my!!

Checking in quickly before tonight's show. Want to know what the contestants are singing tonight? Check out this list of spoilers courtesy of a recent article in USA Today. Actually, if you have time, I recommend reading the full article, for which a USA Today reporter actually got to go behind the scenes and watch the song selection process. I'd kill for that assignment.

A fellow blogger raises an interesting question about whether the heightened behind-the-scenes access is indicative of a season that has been especially devoid of strong personalities.

Anyway, for a quick refresher, tonight's theme is songs that have either been done or produced by the Bee Gees. Each contestant -- Blake, Melinda, Jordin and LaKisha -- will do two songs.

The majority of early predictions say LaKisha will go home. I'm waiting for tonight's show, though.

Stay tuned and don't forget to send me your comments throughout the show.

another week of fun

Hope everyone had a great weekend. Some brief items of AI gossip...first, in another "Idol" love connection, Blake Lewis might be enjoying a fling with ousted semifinalist Antonella Barba, according to this article.

You probably remember Antonella as the mediocre singer who ignited this season's first major scandal with her provocative pics that surfaced online. Anyway, the article notes that Antonella showed up for a recent taping of the show, when "Blake Lewis managed to catch Antonella's eye right at the end of the evening and blew her a kiss." It adds, "...she promptly reciprocated and he 'caught' the airborne kiss and held it close to his chest."

Awww. Think Chris Richardson is jealous?

Also, this article discusses the likelihood of Phil Stacey heading to Iraq post-AI. Phil, an active duty petty officer 3rd class and a vocalist with the Navy Band Southeast in Jacksonville, Fla., could be asked to volunteer for a musical tour in Iraq. More importantly, though, the article touches on some interesting points regarding the way Phil could heighten Navy recruiting efforts.

It'll be interesting to see where he ends up. One fan recently told me Phil, as a country singer, could end up being the biggest seller of all this season's contestants, since country fans seem to buy records pretty religiously.

That's all for now. Get ready for the top 4 on Tuesday.

cousin it strikes again

Time to address most recent hubbub over Jordin Sparks. On Wednesday night's elimination show, as Chris Richardson was giving his farewell performance, the camera zoomed in on a very bored-looking Jordin Sparks. Then, upon noticing the camera was on her, Jordin immediately feigned tears.

Now a bunch of people think she's fake.

Amid all the buzz about Melinda and LaKisha's blandness, I think some issues surrounding Jordin's personality have gone unnoticed. I see her having tremendous diva potential, and -- as illustrated by Wednesday night's behavior -- her youth makes her slightly unprepared to deal with fame.

Particularly in recent weeks, I think Jordin's praise has been exaggerated. I don't like her outfits, I don't think there's anything especially unique about her voice and I don't think she even put forth half an effort on rock week.

What annoys me most is that Melinda, LaKisha and Jordin all offer the same thing to the music industry. Which is why, until further notice, you can officially call me a Blaker Girl.

bitter bennett

Looks like not every AI mentor is as happy as Bon Jovi. Tony Bennett was dissatisfied with his experience on the reality TV show and is "disgusted by how the show’s hopefuls are put through a wringer — and then left out to dry," according to this article.

Think that's why he didn't show up for his performance gig?

boogie down

Wanted to give one last goodbye to Phil and Chris. I'll miss the cancer-stricken alien more than the formerly overweight Justin Timberlake wannabe, but still...it's unfortunate that Blake is the sole remaining male representation.

Which brings us to the final four: Blake, Jordin, Melinda and LaKisha. I don't think they're anywhere near as appealing as last season's fab four: Katharine, Elliot, Daughtry and Taylor. But given the current season's caliber of talent, I wouldn't make any substitutions.

What do you guys think? Is there anyone in the top 12 who you think deserved to stay longer?

Next week, contestants will work under a "boogie" (disco?) theme with the mentorship of Barry Gibb. I think this is when each singer does two songs, so the second one might be a song of their choice.

I think LaKisha's in the most jeopardy, and Blake's position as the last man standing might give him a little extra security...along with votes from fans who previously supported Chris and/or Phil.

Where does that leave Melinda and Jordin?

rock out

So rock week is over, and tonight's eliminations -- Phil and Chris -- likely come as no major surprise to fans who have watched the show all season. LaKisha, I'm sure, was in many viewers' picks for tonight's departures, but her solid take on Bon Jovi's "This Ain't a Love Song" helped pull in some extra votes after last week's take on Fantasia put her in some serious jeopardy.
Phil, then, became the next logical choice to go...not so much because of the quality of his performances, but because of his inability to connect with fans throughout the entire season. Chris, on the other hand, flew through many weeks simply with charm and heartthrob appeal. His nasally singing and copycat pop moves likely did him in.
Did the elimination-free week change the season's outcome? I doubt it. If anything, it likely spared LaKisha, who seemed a shoe-in to go home last week. But if she wants to secure her role as a long term force within the competition, she has a lot of work to do.
Thoughts?
(Btw...forgot to mention that the show ended with Taylor Hicks' plea for "Idol Gives Back" funds. Equally awful.)
Thanks for reading, everyone. Can't wait to read your comments.