busted

Hope everyone had a great weekend.

Probably today's biggest "Idol" news has nothing to do with the current season. The Internet is buzzing with chatter about Jessica Sierra, the season four finalist who on Sunday was arrested on drug and assult charges after allegedly hitting a man on the head with a glass. Authorities reportedly found a small amount of cocaine in her purse after she entered a detention facility. She was released on $11,500 bail. Read the full story here.

Jessica, now 21, placed 10th on AI, failing in my opinion to sustain any kind of fan base. The most memorable aspect of her "Idol" run was, I think, the ongoing criticism about her weight. Even though Simon did at one point name her one of the season's top female vocalists.

She remained on the radar post-AI, but not for her singing. She had a pretty serious bout with a stalker, a 59-year-old California man who in January 2006 was arrested at Jessica's grandma's house.

So it's been a rough adjustment, and although I can't say I feel sorry for her, the story does prove that life after "Idol" isn't always as easy as talk show appearances and national anthem stints.

Who do you think is headed for the next post-AI train wreck?

dream destruction times two

Not too much new on the "Idol" front, aside from the fact that official estimates on the AI Web site now say "Idol Gives Back" raised $60 million for charity. Good for them.

Get ready for two eliminations next week, when contestants take on a rock theme with the assistance of Jon Bon Jovi. I can't wait, and it'll be interesting to see if the combination of votes makes for a major surprise.

Have a great weekend, and keep all the comments coming.

still in the giving spirit?

Seems like most people ended up viewing "Idol Gives Back" pretty cynically. Not to take away from the $30 million the show raised or anything, but I'm in the camp of viewers who thought last night's episode was pretty anticlimactic. The footage was a bit too excessive, and I wasn't anywhere near stunned by the caliber of the vocal performances.

A wasted two hours? Maybe. You really can't criticize the No. 1 TV show for wanting to further the betterment of humanity. But I think a lot of the bitterness came from the fact that two nights of goodwill were juxtaposed with the fact that the philanthropy took place on a show that for 99.9 percent of its season is dedicated to destroying dreams and encouraging careers in an industry that for the part is associated with greed.

I think that "Idol" is, by definition, a selfish show. It breeds narcissism, and derives popularity from failure. And people know that. Which is why -- even though people still voted -- the majority of viewers may have ambivalently viewed a one-night immersion into feelgoodland.

That's also why so many audience members were disappointed at the lack of an elimination. Because "Idol" isn't primarily a fundraising vehicle. It's a competition. And while people may be willing to pony up some cash to help Africa once in a while, they ultimately want consistency.

Even if that does mean destroying dreams.

Thoughts?

don't hate me

...for succumbing to another Sanjaya post.

Looks like his mom two years ago was allegedly busted for growing marijuana. The story, told in this article, is that neighbors complained about the smell, leading some cop cars to approach the residence.

After obtaining a search warrant, authorities reportedly found 310 marijuana plants inside. Sanjaya's mom, who maintained she was growing the plants for medical purposes, pleaded guilty to one felony count of unlawful manufacturing of a controlled substance. She got 30 days in jail.

Relevance to AI? You've got me. Except Paula is now probably very, very jealous that she didn't hang out more with Sanjaya's family. And we could have an explanation for Sanjaya's wicked tresses.

Anyway, I think it's amazing this didn't come out when Sanjaya was still in the competition. Think it's all part of a subtle plan to keep him in the news?

let's go make a difference

So it's 9:57 and we finally get to see Bono. Not in person, though. Just mentoring the contestants before they close the song by singing some song about a prayer. It's not horrible, but it's not necessarily the coolest way to end the show, if you know what I mean.
Overall, I think "Idol Gives Back" was done pretty well, with a good balance of footage, performances and comedy. It was a strong showing for the show's first attempt at fundraising.
As for the lack of elimination, I don't see how they could have done it any other way. It would have been kind of hypocritical to destroy someone's dreams on a night dedicated to goodwill. The kids could have acted a little more surprised about it, though.
That's all for tonight. Thanks for reading. See you in Africa.

no one's going home

OK, it's results time. Down to Chris and Jordin.
AND THEY'RE BOTH SAFE.
No one goes home on a charity night, silly viewers.
What happens now? This week's votes combine with next week's votes to send the bottom two home next Wednesday. Got it?

annie calms our waters

Ryan just had some pretty impressive technical difficulty awkwardness.
Which means it's time for an Annie Lennox performance. Is anyone else craving a little "Walking on Broken Glass"? I guess not. She sings "Bridge Over Troubled Water," and, like Paula, sports a shirt begging for a wardrobe malfunction.
Still, it's a good performance, probably one of the best of the night. I wish they would have brought Clay Aiken back to do it, though.

where is he?

Seriously. Is anyone else wondering what happened to Bono? Wasn't he supposed to be, like, mentoring or something?
Number time. Seacrest just said they're up to $30 million for charity. Pretty impressive.

the duet you've been waiting for

Time for the big Celine Dion/virtual Elvis duet. Sure, it looks a little cool, but I don't really get the appeal. I think I rather would have seen Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney. And I can't even imagine what the live studio audience must be thinking.
Still, I give the producers credit for doing something cool, and I'm all ready for the final results.
Recap: It's down to Chris and Jordin.

lakisha's safe

So LaKisha survived another week. Which puts Blake and Jordin in jeopardy. Or serves as further evidence that this will be an elimination-free week.

simon gets animated

Cut away to a pretty funny version of "The Simpsons" in which Marge, Lisa and Homer take the judges' AI positions while an animated Simon auditions. I'd call it a filler, but cartoon Simon's version of "Don't Cha" was priceless.

here's kelly

Time out for a Kelly Clarkson performance. She sang "Up to the Mountain," even though I wish she would have done her new one, "Never Again." But I guess the producers are trying to convey the importance of something other than being wronged by love.
Sure, the performance was moving and all, but did anyone else have a hard time with Kelly's wardrobe selection? Seriously...as my viewing partner said, it looked like she either got pregnant or lost 200 pounds. She was sporting this mega loose-fitting dress, and the entire continent of Africa could have been hidden under there.
Not flattering.

can idol change the world?

Still slightly somber, as stars were interviewed about how many funerals they'd attended, only to be followed by a segment showing an African man who said he'd been to 200 of them. Malaria, Seacrest said, kills one African child every 30 seconds.
It'll be interesting to see how this show does from a fundraising standpoint...they've shown some pretty powerful stuff so far.

on a serious note...

The show just got unexpectedly somber, with AIDS Africa footage -- a woman they met died -- followed by Josh Groban's performance of "You Raise Me Up." He was backed by the African Children's Choir.
Where's a Sanjaya zoom-in when you need it?

phil's staying alive

So Phil's safe. Who's left? Chris, LaKisha and Jordin.
Another creepy element? The "all-star" montage of celebs dancing to "Staying Alive." You kind of had to see this one to believe it, but picture stars like Helen Mirren and that kid from "American Pie" doing their worst dancing ever. And being filmed.
Looks like everyone -- including Corky Romano, Deuce Bigalow and Kirstie Alley in preacher garb -- is as bad as the "Idol" kids. Don't get any choreography ideas, Phil Stacey.

crazy kids

Wow. Time for a "very special" Ford music video. Hmm...Mariah Carey's "Hero"? Whitney Houston's "Greatest Love of All"? Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror"?
Um, try "A Crazy Little Thing Called Love." With a plot involving the kids traveling to a drive-thru movie.
Phew. I was starting to think the kids were actually starting to care about people.

paula reads?

New developments? An appearance by MySpace's Tom, and a segment in with Paula described the effort to curb illiteracy in the Appalachian mountains. Hmm...Paula talking about reading. Anyone else find this ironic? Especially when she made the final plea for funds while sporting a shirt that begged for a wardrobe malfunction?

he's still here

Is anyone else miffed by the number of Sanjaya references tonight?
Ellen just mentioned him in another short monologue, which brings us to, like, the 500th time we've heard his name tonight.
Talent withdrawal...or a subtle sign he should blow this fundraising campaign out of the water by donating his tresses to Locks of Love?

give back, go country

Elimination recap: Blake and Melinda are safe. That's all.
Carrie Underwood "came home" to AI via a pre-recorded performance of "I'll Stand by You." In Africa. Well, I guess she probably couldn't sing "Before He Cheats."
Speaking of country tunes, Rascal Flatts also just hit the stage to perform "My Wish." And subtly thank AI for introducing non-country fans to "God Bless the Broken Road."
Stay tuned.

better than sanjaya?

And back to results. Blake's safe. That's all Seacrest will give us for now.
What happens after you jeopardize your comedic integrity by appearing in "The Holiday"? You end up on "American Idol." At least that's what happened to Jack Black, who hit the stage, offered a pretty funny take on Seal's "Kiss from a Rose," and asked to be critiqued by the judges.
The best bit of feedback, obviously, came from Simon, who told him he was "better than Sanjaya."
Followed, of course, by a zoom-in on Sanjaya. Laughing. And thinking he'll be famous than this season's winner. And Jack Black.
To close the segment, Seal even made an appearance praising Jack Black's efforts.
Something tells me Blake really wants to see Heidi Klum.

somewhere?

Time for a performance by "Il Devo," which is apparently an opera quartet and not the guys who sang "Whip It." Wishful thinking. They sang "Somewhere," in a predictably powerful performance complete with candles and twinkle lights.
Dr. Phil also made a short fundraising appeal for the show, but failed to make any mention of how the American public is in the midst of devoting two hours to watching a bunch of head cases.
It's best to keep that on the DL.

paula goes clubbin

Wow. We're getting down to business already. It's only 8:31.
And Melinda's safe.
Wait. Fake excitement. That's all we're going to get for now.
Cut to Paula's trip to the local Boys and Girls Club, a venue that inexplicably spurred Paula to wear a huge silk flower on her shirt. And I like how she used some girl's tale of poverty to remind us of her old days as a dancer.
Think they knew who Paula was? More importantly...think she sobered up for the occasion?

can't live with him, can't live without him

An appearance by Ben Stiller, plus some more footage of Africa and the U.S. Wow. Poor people exist. Once again, it's a grim realization for Simon and Seacrest, almost enough to make Ryan tear his eyes away from the Cowell chest hair that's been out of hibernation since last night.
Still nothing major to report, and I'm slightly disappointed that most celeb appearances so far (Teri Hatcher, David Schwimmer) have been reduced to short fundraising spots.
And what's up with the repeated zoom-ins on Sanjaya?

still saving the world

Ten minutes down, 110 to go. But who's counting?
Part dos of "Idol Gives Back" is off to a filler-packed start, with a pretty humorous monologue by host Ellen DeGeneres. Not to mention the first performance of the night -- Earth, Wind and Fire, who were sporting some pretty bedazzled shirts.
Another highlight? A performance by the six remaining contestants, just in case you forgot an actual competition is going on. Yes, someone's dreams will be destroyed against this backdrop of goodwill and faith in the human race.
Back to the performance, though...it wasn't all that bad, they were mentored by the producer of "We are the World" and the final product was about as close as you're going to get to saving the world when you have a beat boxer in the equation.
Btw...still no sign of this week's alleged mentor, Bono.

biggest. surprise. ever?

Remember, tonight's two-hour results show is the celebrity extravaganza slated to feature performances by acts like Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood, plus appearances by a whole host of celebrities, including Teri Hatcher, Keira Knightley and the kid who plays Harry Potter.

The part that has the most people talking, however, is an element Seacrest billed last night as "one of the biggest shocks we’ve ever had on American Idol.” Remember that last week, he teased to “a duet you will have to see to believe when two of the biggest stars in musical history come together on our stage.”

This article notes that a lot of people are wondering if those two are the same thing, especially in view of recent Internet rumors that Celine Dion will perform with a virtual Elvis. There's also rumors about a duet between Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson.

Some viewers, meanwhile, are predicting the "biggest shock" will be something separate. Such as:

*An elimination-free week

*Sanjaya's return to the competition

*Nothing

The elimination-free week wouldn't surprise me, especially since the idea of ousting a contestant seems to go against the goodwill inherent in the "Idol Gives Back" concept. Still, it could also dramatically mess up AI's overall schedule, and I can't see the producers going for that.

Thoughts? Guesses?

changing things up?

Lots to say this morning...first, regarding follow-up impressions of last night's show, I'd like to hear what you guys thought about the execution of the whole fundraising component of things. I thought it was done pretty tastefully -- as tasteful as you can be in the context of Ryan Seacrest -- but I've read mixed reviews online. Do you think it was too over-the-top, too much of an attempt to appeal to ratings rather than real social causes?

Once again, I was pretty bored with the performances, not so much in terms of caliber, but more so in their failure to offer anything out of the ordinary. The "inspirational" theme made judges slightly sedate in their comments. Chris Richardson, for one, got WAY more praise than he deserved, and I think even Jordin's performance had its low points.

Also...glad you guys noticed Bono's absence. Rumor is he'll make an appearance tonight.

Common sense says LaKisha will go home. Remember, though, that the fundraising component of last night's episode -- all votes generated money for charities -- had potential to attract voters who under normal circumstances wouldn't care enough to dial. Which means we could be in for a surprise.

Stay tuned.

MY PICKS

Wow. Tonight's episode makes me feel like I should join the Peace Corps or something. Or at least pull an Angelina Jolie and adopt a poverty-stricken baby.
Hold that thought.
Overall, the first half of "Idol Gives Back" was executed well. In spite of some initial speculation, I really think the show did a good job of bringing attention to issues beyond pitchiness and mohawks. The footage was pretty powerful, even if it did involve seeing Seacrest in some serious Abercrombie gear.
Performance-wise, most contestants offered personal bests, and judge comments were pretty tame. Phil, notably, exuded confidence for the second week in a row, and the usual suspects -- Melinda and Jordin -- performed well.
Who's in trouble? I thought the judges were too generous in their praise of Chris Richardson. More importantly, though, Blake seems to be on a gradual decline and I hope we see the beat-boxer who initially caught fans' eyes in early weeks.
LaKisha, however, seems to be in greatest danger of getting the boot. She's put herself at risk simply by choosing songs by former Idols -- and doing a mediocre job -- for two consecutive weeks. A decline in vocal impressiveness is paired with her apparent growing apathy. She looks tired and offers little personality.
I say she goes home.
That aside, remember that your votes do really mean something -- financial contributions -- so call if you're on the edge tonight.
With that, I'm joining the Peace Corps.

jordin walks proudly

6. Jordin Sparks
Song: "You'll Never Walk Alone"
Me: A typical Jordin performance, even though her song didn't really have that many words. That aside, it was incredibly strong, and solidified the popular sentiment that she's assumed a position as this season's No. 1 contender. Excellent, overall. She's the new one to beat.
Randy: "That was the hottest tonight, America. Right there."
Paula: "You did a lovely job."
Simon: "I thought you were fantastic."
Score: 10/10

phil makes a change

5. Phil Stacey...gets a viewer question. What do you miss most about home? Wow, what a big surprise. The answer is his kids. Or his hair.
Song: "The Change"
Me: I was glad to hear Phil chose another country song, and like last week's peformance, this Garth Brooks song didn't disappoint. Maybe I'm just smitten over Phil's bald head, but I'd name him the top male contender at this point. It seems as if he's acquired some confidence after skirting the bottom three last week, and I like the new Phil. Assuming he can secure an audience connection, he should stick around.
Randy: "You're back again this week with another strong performance."
Paula: "This was your best."
Simon: "I really like you and I'm glad you had a good week last week."
Score: 9/10

believe in lakisha

4. LaKisha
Song: "I Believe"
Me: Whoa. Another song by a former Idol...a week after her failed attempt to do Carrie Underwood proud. This could be risky. Overall, it's a strong vocal, with a the exception of a slight stumble in the middle of the song. Her downfall? Song choice. There was no reason for her to pick a Fantasia song...aligning herself too strongly with former Idols (not to mention another single mother) makes her seem like a carbon copy. All in all, LaKisha just seem tired. She's lost the originality that initially labeled her a prime contender. I'm ready to see her go.
Randy: "I don't think it was your best performance, but I did like it though."
Paula: "I have a hard time getting past Fantasia."
Simon: "Again, I'm having an issue here with the shouting."
Score: 5/10

imagine blake

3. Blake Lewis...is lucky enough to get a viewer question. What's the biggest sacrifice he's made to be on AI? Answer: Being away from his family. Or not being able to sing a Cure song every week.
Song: "Imagine"
Me: This is pretty much classic Blake, sans beat-boxing. It reminds me of his take on Keane during the semifinals. And yes, he's totally wishing there was a Cure remake of this song, too. It's not a life-changing performance, though...and I'm slightly bothered by the way Blake has gone all emo in recent weeks. Initially, I praised him for his individuality, and while he still somewhat stands out from the pack, it seems as if he's opted to focus on the slow stuff in recent weeks. With mixed results.
Randy: "It was just kind of all right for me."
Paula: "It's the first real, sensitive, emotional performance that I've seen from you, Blake."
Simon: "It didn't really go anywhere...But I think the most important part was that you sang it with sincerity. So good."
Score: 6/10

with or without him

Is anyone else wondering what happened to Bono, the singers' alleged mentor? Is he too busy reconstructing a continent or something?

melinda's day comes

2. Melinda Doolittle
Song: "There Will Come a Day"
Me: A very solid performance, as usual. I know, I know...I've never been a hard core Melinda fan, but I really liked this one. Honestly, it seems like something you'd expect out of the AI finale. It's an original, Melinda-fied take on Faith Hill without any traces of Whitney Houston. Nice. And I'm loving the smoky eye makeup. Looks like somebody got some parting cosmetic advice from Sanjaya.
Randy: "You're just so dope."
Paula: "There's no one like you...You're magical, you really are."
Simon: "That really was a vocal master class."
Score: 9/10

chris changes the world

So the big "Idol Gives Back" extravaganza has started. Ryan (sporting some unusually severe facial hair) offered another film montage of his trip to Africa with Simon. Once again, I was almost convinced Simon had a heart. Almost.
Anyway, here we go with songs of inspiration.

1. Chris Richardson
Song: "Change the World"
Me: Wow. I think he started off kinda off-key. Fortunately, things picked up a bit at the chorous. In summary, it's pretty much your typical Chris Richardson performance, although it did end on an especially good note. The plus side? Seems like he kind of abandoned the cockiness that characterized last week's performance. Not too over-the-the top tonight. Still nasally, but at a tolerable level.
Randy: "You were in it to win it."
Paula: "You did fantastic."
Simon: "I was a good vocal...I think you did really well."
Score: 7/10

he's still alive

Just when you thought I was done posting Sanjaya news...the ousted contestant spoke with David Letterman last night, and offered "The Top 10 Things I Learned from 'American Idol.'"

Here it is:

10. The camera adds 10 pounds to your mohawk.

9. Work hard and make sacrifices, you can finish in 7th place.

8. It's very important to "Keep it real, dawg."

7. I should have gone for the immunity idol - oh wait, that's "Survivor."

6. On-camera Simon is a bit nasty, but off-camera, he's a total jerk.

5. Voting for yourself 100 times an hour causes some wicked carpal tunnel.

4. When you forget the words, just do this. (Sanjaya sings an "ooohhh.)

3. Honestly, I thought I was auditioning for "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?"

2. Nothing.

1. America loves performers with bad hair - right, Dave?

you get what you give

So Tuesday marks the start of the big "Idol Gives Back" extravaganza. It's basically a two-night star-studded event designed to raise money for poverty-stricken regions of the U.S. and Africa.

Tuesday, the top six contestants will perform as usual. For every vote cast, sponsors will make a donation to the Charity Projects Entertainment Fund. Wednesday, the two-hour results show will feature extra celebrity performances. Viewers on that night, too, can make donations via phone or the donation Web site.

From a popular culture standpoint, I think the whole thing is really fascinating...and not only because it marks the first time a U.S. reality TV show has entered the realm of major fundraising.

Today, I interviewed a communication professor from Columbus State University for an upcoming article on the relationship between philanthropy and reality TV, and he brought up an interesting point that this week's episodes will bring in viewers who aren't necessarily hardcore AI fans.

In other words, people with a passion for charitable giving, or with an interest in one of the groups the episode is designed to assist. And, since tomorrow night's votes equal donations, those viewers will be more likely to vote...even if they've never seen the show before.

The bottom line? Tuesday's theme -- inspirational songs -- might make for a surprise elimination.

What do you think? Will AI pull in more votes than usual because the proceeds go to charity? And if so, how will that affect the six remaining contestants?

10,000 and counting...

Last night, this blog crossed the 10,000-hit threshold, which is absolutely awesome. When I try to count my friends, the number usually averages between one and two, so this makes me very happy.

Seriously, though, thanks so much to everyone who's been reading and commenting. I can't believe we're already at the halfway mark. I appreciate all the support and I'm looking forward to lots of spirited and off-key discussions as the season continues.

Keep reading.

oh, sanjaya...

So who's gonna stop watching AI now? Whether you loved or hated Sanjaya, I think you have to admit the show is going to be significantly more boring in his absence. I never really rooted for Mr. Malakar, but throughout the season I was always intrigued by the possibility of a Sanjaya victory and subsequent "Idol" sabotage.

Now I'm arriving at the slow realization that one of the six remaining snoozers will eventually be named this season's champion. Does anyone even care? I think that's one of the reasons Sanjaya became such a popular culture phenomenon in the first place...this season offered absolutely nothing else even remotely interesting.

In the aftermath of Sanjaya's elimination, Vote for the Worst is now looking for a new contestant to endorse. Meanwhile, I'm turning my support to Blake Lewis, who probably won't win. It'll likely either be Jordin or Melinda, both of whom have tremendous potential to generate abysmal record sales by offering nothing different than what's already available on modern radio.

Back to Sanjaya, though...it'll be interesting to see if he manages to achieve any sort of notoriety beyond his elimination. Think he'll remain a fixture in "Idol" history? When, if ever, will his 15 minutes of fame expire?

I summarized most of my Sanjaya insights last night...but I'll finish this post by saying that in the end, I liked him. Maybe not enough to want him to win the whole thing, but still...at 17, he handled the bad press and relentless criticism well. And you have to remember that Paula, Randy and Simon were the ones who initially put him in the semifinals. You can't say they didn't do that with the slight hunch that something like this -- controversy strong enough to propel a ratings boost -- would happen.

Peace out, Sanjaya. Put your face on a bottle of conditioner and I'll be the first one in line to buy it.

hair today, not tomorrow

So now I've officially stopped spasming and can offer some quasi-coherent comments on Sanjaya's departure.
Looking at it from a technical standpoint alone, it's not a surprise. I'd argue country night was Sanjaya's worst, and he didn't offer an unique creepiness outside of the weird hair scarf.
And Simon's little diatribe about the competition being about talent certainly didn't help. Maybe it was a wake-up call for voters on the fence.
Still, I think everyone kind of suspected Sanjaya would stick around longer. Now, the hoopla about him sabotaging the show seems really anti-climactic.
What did him in? Maybe last night's Sanjaya showing was so awful that non-voters actually voted for an opposing contestant out of anger. Or, perhaps most likely, the anti-AI groups that fueled Sanjaya's initial success simply lost their momentum.
But embarrassingly enough, I'm going to miss him. He seemed to cry genuinely upon his elimination, and even altered his song lyrics to say, "Let's give them something to talk about other than hair."
Which made me think in spite of the mohawks, in spite of the cockiness, in spite of the eclectic performances, he really was just a naive kid with a dream.
Maybe we'll never know. One thing, however, is certain. In some lonely bar or strip club, Simon is having a very, very good time.

SANJAYA'S GONE!!!!!!!!!

OK. Blake's safe.
It's down to Sanjaya and LaKisha. And Sanjaya is OUT.
I am shocked. I am shocked. I am shocked. I am shocked. I am shocked. I am shocked. I am shocked. I am shocked. I am shocked. I am shocked. I am shocked. I am shocked. I am shocked. I am shocked. I am shocked. I am shocked. I am shocked. I am shocked.
Think I'm surprised?

martina filler

Just noticed tonight's episode is way behind schedule. It's 9:46 p.m. and Martina McBride just hit the stage. This is gonna be tight.
Anyway, Martina sounds OK, but I have to admit I liked Fergie better. What's up with the all-black getup, Martina? And, more importantly, are any of the contestants actually listening to her?
The coolest part of this filler is Martina's cute daughter, and the sly way Martina led into the commercial break.
Stay tuned.

reel boring

Cool. The contestants got an inside look at "Shrek the Third." Which has absolutely nothing to do with their music careers. Um, shouldn't they be practicing or something? Wait. They're in the recording studio. Maybe they're actually doing something music-related.
False alarm. They're just voicing characters. And being interrupted by Antonio Banderas.
Looks like the kids actually got to watch the whole movie, and I have to admit I'm kind of jealous. And not only because I'd like to share a tub of butter-drenched popcorn with Blake.

it's sanjaya, lakisha and blake

OK, Ryan's splitting everyone into two groups -- one has the highest amount of votes, one has the lowest.
Group 1: Sanjaya, LaKisha, Blake
Group 2: Phil, Jordin, Chris
Now it's just Melinda left. Seacrest will probably try to trap her by asking her which group she wants to join.
OK, he's not that crafty. She's safe. Period.
Wait. He is trapping her. I was sooo right.
Which group is safe, Melinda? She really just needs to bail out of this question. And she does. I think. She sits on the ground. And bails.
Group 2 is safe. What?? I am now officially one for three on my picks.
I say Sanjaya's going home. Wishful thinking, maybe. Who knows what's going on?

run. now.

Time for the Ford commercial. Tonight they're singing "I Ran" in some Matrix-inspired commercial that really does make me want to run far, far, far away.
Cue a really long plug for next week's "Idol Gives Back." The most random guests? Il Divo and Helen Mirren. They're not performing together, but that would be really cool. We're also getting two superstars who will do a surprise duet together.
Any guesses?

fergalicious

Wow. The Idol Challenge question is about this season's contestants. Did they need to get any easier?
Cue to a filler segment about contestants explaining the music they listen to in their spare time. The best? Chris pulling out a Peter Noone CD. Of course Jordin names Fergie as one of her favorites, which serves as a good lead-in to Fergie's performance.
Ironically, however, she chooses to do a song other than "Glamorous." We got "Big Girls Don't Cry," in a performance that actually wasn't that bad.
She's still a butterface, though.

i'm not all right

After the results show's newest feature -- man on the street interviews that reveal nothing -- we were treated to the obligatory group performance. Tonight, contestants sang "I'm All Right" in a performance straight out of a Brady Bunch outtake. It was corny, a little off-key and filled with bad fashion. In other words, standard.
Guess there's only going up after you butcher "Bailamos."

damage control

So the show started off with some serious attempts to smooth over any confusion regarding the whole Simon eye-rolling, Virginia Tech situation. We even got a clip of what Simon was talking about while Chris extended his sympathies to the victims.
And, in a surprisingly sentimental moment, Simon even said, "I would never, ever, ever disrespect those families or those victims."
Looks like things are back to normal. Kinda.
What do we have to look forward to tonight? Performances by Martina McBride and Fergie, along with a preview of "Shrek 3."
No, I'm not talking about Melinda Doolittle's first music video.
That was mean. And I liked it.

are those tarantulas on your eyes?

Or are you just Kellie Pickler talking about her fake eyelashes?

I'm interviewing the Pickler, a season five finalist, on Friday. Just wanted to give you guys the heads-up in case you wanted to send any potential questions my way. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

I'll keep you posted.

fries, mcnuggets and sanjaya

Kind of.

Happy Meals and Mighty Kids Meals at McDonald's will soon include "American Idol"-inspired toys, according to this article. Don't get too excited, though. While execs at the fast-food chain could have opted for creative selections like "Glitter Hair Sanjaya" or "Pierce My Tongue Gina," they went for some pretty tame (and lame) toys.

You'll get Starry Eyed Shades, a Star Guitar, a Popstar Headset or -- my favorite -- a Judgmental Mic, which actually lets you sing and hear recorded judge feedback. They'll be distributed April 20 through May 10. Count me in.

Also, in another random bit of trivia, a recent survey indicated that AI is the most talked-about TV show in the workplace for the second consecutive year. Read more here. Can't say it surprises me.

Is it true for YOUR workplace?

simon? insensitive? no way!

Simon Cowell says he wasn't being insensitive when he rolled his eyes shortly after contestant Chris Richardson offered sympathy toward the victims of the Virginia Tech shootings,

this article from "Access Hollywood" reports.

The controversy started in Tuesday's episode, when Simon criticized Chris, 22, for being too nasally in his performance. Chris, in response, told Simon that "nasally" is actually a form of singing. Then, perhaps recognizing he was out of line, Chris (who hails from Chesapeake, Va.) attempted to save himself by acknowledging the Virginia Tech victims.

Zoom into Simon, who was shown rolling his eyes while talking to Paula.

The scene has ignited all sorts of controversy, even though Simon later in Tuesday's show offered his own set of condolences to the victims. And on Ryan Seacrest's KIIS FM radio show today, he reportedly said, "The truth is that I had switched off at the point. I was talking to Paula and I was saying to Paula, 'What does he mean he sang nasally on purpose?' I didn't understand what he was saying. So, I hadn't even heard what he did. My eye rolling was what I was saying to Paula."

Simon was also critical of the public reaction to the incident, saying it made the show seem callous in spite of the fact host Seacrest acknowledged the Virginia Tech tragedy at the show's onset.

Thoughts?

that don't impress me much?

Belter LaKisha's shaky attempt at country got me thinking about the purpose of theme nights on AI.

Yeah, yeah...I get the idea. They're supposed to help the contestants demonstrate versatility, and an ability to spin a unique edge on a contemporary classic. We don't need another carbon copy of an existing rocker or pop star, judges argue, and urge contestants to step out of their element.

But is that really necessary?

Sure, it's entertaining to watch a rocker stumble through a decades-old love song, or see a Whitney Houston wannabe bite the dust on country week. Yet that's not really reflective of the recording industry they seek to immerse themselves in.

Chris Daughtry made a rock album, Katharine McPhee made a pop disc. And if Melinda Doolittle wins, she'll record an R&B-themed CD. Nobody's going to ask her to try her hand at heavy metal just to test her versatility. That's too risky for the music world.

And she most certainly won't be singing songs made 30-40 years ago. She'll do what's popular now, because that's what appeals to AI's desired demographic.

That said, are theme weeks really necessary on 'Idol'? And is it fair to vote contestants off just because they can't handle genres they'd never record in anyway?

friends in low places?

Lots to report today. First, I'm sticking with my original choices for the bottom three -- Phil, LaKisha and Chris -- but I'm expecting a surprise out of tonight's elimination. DialIdol, the Web site that claims to measure phone votes (with mixed results), actually put Phil, Chris and Jordin in last night's TOP three.

Which means Melinda, LaKisha, Blake and Sanjaya are all susceptible to the boot. We'll see about that.

I thought it was a slightly weak night for Blake, but it seems as if he has a teeny-bopper, beat-boxing fan base that Phil just can't compete with...even if he does have a quasi-natural talent for country tunes. As for Sanjaya...nobody's going to say he was good last night. Duh. It's just a question of measuring the force of voters looking to sabotage the show.

Vote-wise, he might rank up worse than prior weeks, since he didn't do anything nearly as shocking as the ponyhawk. But I just can't see him going home.

I still say Chris goes, but I'd be perfectly content with a surprise.

MY PICKS

We knew country week would be rough at its onset, and while nobody offered anything entirely dreadful, few contestants were at their prime. On the plus side, personalities surfaced for Melinda, Jordin and -- most notably -- Phil. One good performance, however, might no be enough to save him, and his spot as the night's first singer certainly didn't do much to help.
The bottom three? Phil, LaKisha and Chris.
LaKisha, predictably, was far outside her comfort zone, and exuded virtually zero personality on stage. Chris, meanwhile, offered a lackluster take on Rascal Flatts. I didn't think it was as horrible as the judges described, but his decision to talk back to Simon Cowell probably cost him some of his usual fan base.
Who goes home? I say Chris.
Thoughts?

blake's a star...kinda

7. Blake
Song: "When the Stars Go Blue"
Me: Blake totally wishes there would have been a remake of this song by The Cure or Keane. Unfortunately, that isn't the case, and he's forced to make his own Cureified version tonight. It's OK, slightly too pop-inspired for my taste, though. Strangely, in terms of vocal caliber, I think he's actually behind Phil tonight. But he had a stronger presence on stage, which should be enough to keep him around for another week.
Randy: "I love that you know who you are."
Paula: "You kind of have the whole package."
Simon: "I thought it was OK."
Score: 7/10

melinda's a troubled woman

6. Melinda...tells a not-so-funny story about a crazy fan.
Song: "Trouble is a Woman"
Me: Melinda must have temporarily traded stylists with Jordin, because she actually looks hot tonight. Imagine that. I've never been a huge Melinda fan, but I'm actually captivated by this performance. She seems to finally have an edge, some bite to her...which is a stark departure to the good girl vibe that's turned me off in weeks past. Technically, it's a strong vocal. I'd argue her best so far.
Randy: "That's another solid performance from our resident pro."
Paula: "Way to go."
Simon: "It was fantastic." He also told her to lose the "aw, shucks" (my words) reaction to positive feedback. Thank God. How much do you wanna bet she doesn't listen?
Score: 9/10

lakisha and chris stumble

4. LaKisha
Song: "Jesus, Take the Wheel"
Me: I knew this would be a rough week for LaKisha, and her nervousness is evident from the song's onset. First, it's always a slightly bad idea to choose a song by a former Idol. Flash back to when that curly-haired chick sang Kelly Clarkson's "Because of You" and got eliminated last season. Anyway, this performance is off from the get-go, and LaKisha seems to be in some weird nervous/awkward mode. She attempts to redeem things by entering Whitney Houston mode at the song's conclusion, but just sounds even more off.
Randy: "This had some pitch problems in the beginning."
Paula: "I'm going to have to agree with what Randy's saying."
Simon: "It's like eating a hamburger for breakfast...it doesn't go well together."
Score: 5/10

5. Chris
Song: "Mayberry"
Me: Chris, as I predicted, seems strangely comfortable with the country genre. He's had some critics in recent weeks, but I think this performance is ahead of what LaKisha offered just minutes ago. But I wish he would have picked a better known song, and ditched the J-Tim for at least one night. I don't know why he didn't opt for another slow Keith Urban song like the one he did so well with in the semifinals. Sadly, I'd choose Phil as the leading male contestant at this point.
Randy: "I just didn't feel any sense of connection, any emotion from you."
Paula: "The joy and the love that you have on stage didn't come through."
Simon: "What I heard was a very nondescript, nasaly, tinny vocal."
*Chris, in response, gives a quick comeback: "Nasaly is a form of singing, if you don't know." Then, after realizing he overstepped his tact boundaries, he attempted to recover with a quick, "My heart goes out to everyone at Virginia Tech." Um, yeah. You are now the leading candidate to go home, dude.
Score: 6/10

sanjaya gives us something to talk about

3. Sanjaya...is lucky enough to get a viewer question. Sally wants to know if he could ask any of the judges to sing a song, what would it be and why? Good question. His answer? He wants Simon to sing "Shining Happy People" so he can show his "true personality."
Song: "Something to Talk About"
Me: So Sanjaya hits the stage with a western scarf on his head, and claims he chose the song because he likes to -- you guessed it -- give people something to talk about. Still, in a phenomenon that happens only while I'm watching Sanjaya, I was able to type absolutely nothing during the entire performance. And not because it was good. Make no mistake. It was awful. But I just kept thinking, "Wow. Is this really one of the top seven singers in America?" Yes.
Randy: "That was really just like karaoke, dude."
Paula: "You're a loveable guy, Sanjaya, you really are."
Simon: "Utterly horrendous."
Score: 4/10

jordin spreads her wings

2. Jordin...chooses to kiss up to Martina by picking one of her songs. Funny, she did the same thing with Gwen Stefani.
Song: "Broken Wing"
Me: Can't say I'm a huge fan of Jordin's stylist in recent weeks. Last week, she sported the '80s pants, and this week she's in this hippie gown that isn't exactly the most flattering thing in the entire world. That aside, the performance is strong, probably the best we've seen out of Jordin in recent weeks. Ironically, I like it for the same reason I liked Phil's -- she's finally showing some personality. Unlike last week's shaky performance, she seems in control of the stage and hits a killer high note at the end. It's almost good enough to make me dismiss her corny tears. Almost.
Randy: "That was the bomb, man."
Paula: "I think you did a fantastic job."
Simon: "I actually believe, based on that performance, you could win 'American Idol'."
Score: 9/10

phil takes on keith urban

And here we go. After a surprisingly short judge banter, we got the obligatory reminder that Martina McBride is tonight's guest mentor. She says she's convinced to get Simon to become a country fan. We'll see about that

1. Phil Stacey...Martina tells him to put some
Song: "Where the Black Top Ends"
Me: I predicted Phil would do well on country week, and this fortunately got the show off to a good start. It's relatively strong vocally, although not incredibly challenging. Still, I'm glad we finally got a departure from the morbid stuff he's hit us with in weeks past. I had all these grotesque visions of Phil singing Garth Brooks' "The Dance" or something. Luckily, that didn't happen, and even though I wish he would have tested himself from a technical standpoint, he has energy and I really can't complain. All in all, he did well, but I think he still has the weakest fan base of the bunch.
Randy: "You could have a career, man, in country music."
Paula: "It does seem like this is the genre that you feel most comfortable in."
Simon: "It's only taken 10 weeks, Phil...We actually saw some personality."
Score: 7/10

checking in

Hey everyone...it's just about show time and I can't wait for a little honky tonk. This should be fun. Or not. Anyway, sorry for the lack of posts today, but hopefully tonight's episode should make for some stellar commentary.
Can't wait to hear your thoughts. Ride 'em, cowboy.

y'all better bring the 'yo factor'

From a technical standpoint, I can't say I have very high expectations for Tuesday's country-themed night on AI. Ironically, I think Haley probably would have had an upper hand with the country tunes. But she's gone now, and we're stuck with a whole bunch of overly cautious singers who likely don't know Faith Hill from Faith Evans.

From an entertainment standpoint, however, this week should be fun. Virtually everyone is out of their comfort zone, especially the women, none of whom have taken major risks lately. Who knows? Melinda Doolittle might even be lucky enough to get her second consecutive week of criticism from Simon Cowell.

Call me crazy, but I think the guys -- with the inevitable exception of Sanjaya -- could be in better shape. Phil and Chris both performed country songs during this season's semifinals. While Chris' take on Keith Urban fared significantly better than Phil's attempt at LeAnn Rimes (eww), they both nonetheless showed they had the courage to experiment with a tougher genre.

That's all I have for now...but if you need an additional 'Idol' fix today, check out this article about the show's impact on the English language. I don't think AI has had the same impact as "Seinfeld" or "Friends," but the widespread familiarity with phrases like "Soul Patrol" and "McPheever."

Right, dawg?

do you trust her?

This season, it seems like more and more critics are calling AI judges' credibility into question. Today, I came across this column in the Indianapolis Star. It's an especially well-written piece that suggests Sanjaya's success is driven chiefly by fans' lack of trust in Randy, Paula and Simon. That is, every week Sanjaya advances is another statement of Americans' growing hatred for the three-judge panel.

Columnist Ruben Navarrette writes, "The judges on the show -- Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell -- may dislike Malakar, but many Americans have grown to dislike the judges even more. They no longer take the troika's opinions seriously, if ever they did."

To some extent, it makes sense. It seems like the judges have abandoned technical expertise in favor of cliches and attention-getters. After Haley's abysmal performance Tuesday, all judge Simon Cowell could offer was a cheap comment about her skimpy clothing. Hardly what we'd expect from a supposed mogul who claims he has more prominence in the music industry than Bruce Springsteen.

So what role should the judges play in the competition? Should they influence viewers' votes, or simply humor contestants with cheap puns? Does anyone listen to them?

Can't wait to hear what you think. Oh, and on a more random note, Haley Scarnato in her exit interview reportedly admitted stylists used finalist Katharine McPhee's extensions from last season while styling her hair. Talk about cheap.

even pretty people lose

It's been almost a full 24 hours since Haley's elimination, and I still don't have any profound insights. Aside from week one, this was the least surprising boot of the season. It was long overdue. But every season we get the obligatory sex kitten who outlasts some moderately better singers on the basis of looks alone.

I'm kind of sad about the fact that she had to go after receiving what many fans perceived as the harshest words from judge Simon Cowell. (The comment that referred to her wearing as little clothes as possible.) I, however, think those viewers were being slightly over-sensitive. It didn't take much to realize Haley tried to secure votes with skimpy clothing. You can't honestly say she was banking on talent alone, because the instant she hit the top 12 she started donning the short shorts and low necklines.

And I don't think anything was wrong with that. If you were in a competition, and knew there was no way in hell you'd win solely by talent, wouldn't you try to carve out a niche outside singing?

You'll be missed, Haley. Everything but your singing.

adios haley

First, and perhaps most importantly, I was right.
Haley's departure is no major shock, although I had some doubts at the last minute. All in all, I think her sex appeal just wore off. Simon's comment especially hurt her, and even though she had the eye candy factor, it's not likely her fans -- hungry young men -- actually voted in significant numbers. This week's performance was just beyond salvation.
I won't really miss her, and her departure really does nothing for me. Even Sanjaya had more Latin flavor than Haley on Tuesday.
Wear (even) shorter shorts next time, babe.
Thoughts? Btw...next Tuesday we get country week with Martina McBride.

caliente? tal vez.

OK, Chris is safe.
It's between Haley and Phil. But we have to break for a J-Lo performance. But not before a filler of the idols saying how great J-Lo is. I'm kind of irate that she sang entirely in Spanish. I know it's consistent with her new album and everything, but I could really go for a little "Ain't It Funny" right now.
The performance is OK, in spite of the weird facial expressions and backup dancers who were Fly Girl wannabes. And my viewing partners and I totally agree she had some serious thunder thighs going on under that outfit.
No quiero her CD.

it's phil, haley and chris

Did we really need the obligatory recap of last night's episode? Apparently so.
We also got a pretty boring Q&A session in which Haley said she was "hurt" by Simon's comment, and Blake revealed he writes random phrases on his arm. Like "poser." Just kidding.
OK, and here we go with results.
Right to the point tonight. Phil's in the bottom three.
And LaKisha's safe. Surprisingly.
Jordin's safe too. And Sanjaya was passed up. Seacrest is such a trickster.
Melinda's safe.
But Haley's in the bottom three.
Blake's safe.
OK, now it's between Sanjaya and Chris. And Chris is in the bottom 3.
Summary: Bottom 3 is Phil, Haley and Chris. I still say Haley goes.

not happy together

Time for another Ford commercial. This one is actually in a vehicle against the backdrop of "So Happy Together" and the contestants are morphing faces in a manner similar to Michael Jackson's "Black or White" music video. Alarmingly enough, Sanjaya didn't look that different from Melinda Doolittle.
On a more sentimental note, we also got a clip of Simon's trip to Africa, which actually was kind of cute. Some little girl drew him having breasts. Something tells me Seacrest was a little too happy to see that image.
We also got a relatively funny morphed clip of Tony Bennett in an AI audition. Funny, but not funny enough to justify a 60-minute episode.

it don't matter?

Cue to a filler of Ryan asking people about AI at the Farmers Market. They were pretty comprehensive interviews, but Seacrest forgot one question: Why do we need an hour-long results show again??
News...now you can go to the AI Web site and vote for performers for upcoming results shows. Or maybe we could just not have performers and learn the results in 30 minutes. Or less.
Break for a song by Akon. Apparently his live stint with Gwen Stefani wasn't enough. He sang "It Don't Matter" and didn't offer anything exciting, although his DJ's hair did give Sanjaya a run for his money.

bailamos. seriously.

So it's results time. Well, not literally...since tonight we're treated to our first hour-long results show of this phase of the season.
That means lots of fillers, namely the slaughtered group version of "Bailamos" that we were hit with less than 10 minutes into the show. Not good. Not good at all. I knew some Enrique was on the horizon, but I thought we earned some kind of immunity when contestants last night instead opted for Rob Thomas and Gloria Estefan.
False.
Is it bad that I feel like I just spent a really bad night in Tijuana?
Stay tuned.

which one?

With my luck, none of them.

But assuming the blogosphere is right, I'm sticking with last night's picks for the bottom three: Phil, Haley and LaKisha. Phil and Haley seem like somewhat straightforward options -- both have been in major jeopardy in recent weeks -- and I think LaKisha is losing her appeal as a crowd pleaser. Sure, the majority of the time she hits tricky notes powerfully, but I think people are losing a reason to identify with her.

And I agree with a recent anonymous commenter on this blog, who cynically asked if anyone would ever really want to by a LaKisha disc. My answer, predictably, is no. She offers a cheap takeoff of the divas we're already hearing on the radio. Even though that could technically be said of any of this season's AI contestants, the difference between LaKisha and, say, Blake is that at least Blake offers a certain degree of unpredictability -- that "I wonder what he's gonna do now" feeling that could be enough to at least temporarily drive album sales.

Honestly, I hope LaKisha goes. This show isn't about technical skills or talent. If you're a finalist, you'll likely be offered a record deal at some point. And, in the case of Chris Daughtry (love him), your album sales might even exceed those of a higher-placing contestant.

Producers know that. Ousted Idols go on to sell albums, make movies and sometimes even win Oscars. But that doesn't mean they're fun to watch. And it also doesn't mean keeping them around will secure ratings.

Anyway...on a more random note...some bloggers have also included Chris Richardson in their picks for elimination. We'll see.

At any rate, tonight's elimination episode -- in all of its 60-minute glory -- should be good. The fact that last night's performances were especially lackluster (although I think J-Lo did an especially excellent job mentoring) could make for a surprise departure.

Or consistently on-edge Haley could go home as predicted.

In which case I'd be right.

See you tonight.

MY PICKS

Even though contestants took on a genre that's supposed to be driven by passion and amor, tonight's Latin theme for the most part produced performances that were at best mediocre. Many usual crowd pleasers -- Melinda Doolittle, LaKisha Jones, Jordin Sparks -- seemed to plateau and were even criticized by Simon for a lack of energy and a disconnect from the crowd.
The night's surprises came from Blake Lewis, who gave a pretty seductive take on Marc Anthony and -- don't laugh -- Sanjaya, the only contestant gutsy enough to actually sing in Spanish. He wasn't good, but garnered his first compliment from Simon.
As usual, Phil and Haley are definitely at risk of elimination. I say an unexpected contestant -- likely LaKisha Jones -- will join them in the bottom three.
In the end, I say Haley's going home. She was without a doubt the worst vocally, and didn't even offer much in the way of her standard sex appeal.
Thoughts?

sanjaya kisses up

8. Sanjaya...J-Lo likes him. Sweet.
Song: Besame Mucho (that means kiss me a lot)
Me: Mad props to Sanjaya for singing in Spanish. OK, you guys might hate me, but I think Sanjaya actually doesn't sound that bad tonight. Make no mistake...he's nowhere near classification as "good," but he's in the tolerable realm. And he knows how to work the camera and crowd, which is more than I can say of at least half of tonight's contestants.
Randy: "That was actually really good."
Paula: "It was very, very nice."
Simon: "It wasn't horrible."
Score: 5/10

jordin + blake = muy caliente

6. Jordin Sparks...at one point in her critique, J-Lo says she reminds her of Michael Jackson. Sanjaya's going to be so jealous.
Song: "Rhythm is Gonna Get You"
Me: I think Jordin's my favorite contestant at this point, but this performance is definitely not one of her best. Even more alarmingly, she's wearing some serious '80s pants. Her singing is OK, but I'm missing the energy she exuded in weeks past. There just seems to be something a little off about this, but it's still notches above the other remaining female contestants.
Randy: "That was the yo factor on blast."
Paula: "You're so authentic and you're you."
Simon: "I haven't seen a progression, though, tonight."
Score: 8/10

7. Blake...chooses to kiss up to J-Lo by picking a song done by her husband, Marc Anthony. Good strategy.
Song: "I Need to Know"
Me: Cheers to the fan holding up a "Shake 'n Blake" sign. Anyway, tonight Blake looks like he's all dressed up for a cheap night in Cuba. Somewhere there's a vacant seat screaming his name at a lonely Havana cigar bar. That aside, this performance is hot. I think it's my favorite of the night. It's the only one to demonstrate any semblance of Latin flavor, and the vocals aren't too bad, either.
Randy: "Best song choice of the night for you."
Paula: "Very smart performance."
Simon: "Best choice of song of the night. Best performance so far."
Score: 9/10

haley bombs, phil creeps

4. Haley...J-Lo recommends Blake come in and give her a beat. Something tells me Haley's going to need a lot more than a beat to help her tonight, though.
Song: "Turn the Beat Around"
Me: It's obvious Haley went for sex appeal over talent tonight, because she sounds absolutely awful. I think I've given this same performance in the shower. And even her sex appeal is off tonight, as she opted for a sheer tank and some uber-short shorts. Sexy, but perhaps not enough to keep her around another week.
Randy: "That was really karaoke for me."
Paula: "I think you had fun up there."
Simon: "I think you have a very good tactic right now, Haley...wear as least amount of clothes as possible."
Score: 4/10

5. Phil...J-Lo says she "definitely felt something" while watching Phil rehearse. Maybe something = horror.
Song: "Maria, Maria"
Me: Welcome back, cancer patient hat. I'm glad Phil chose this song, though. I had all these nightmares of a really bad rendition of "Bailamos" or, even worse, "Hero." Eww. This, however, is much better. I'd never dispute Phil's vocal ability, and I think tonight was actually an OK performance. Still, he has the creep factor, and I don't think this performance did much to strengthen his connection with the audience.
Randy: "It didn't all come together for me."
Paula: "I thought it was real good vocally."
Simon: "I found no originality in the performance."
Score: 6/10

chris plays it smooth

3. Chris Richardson...is advised by J-Lo to work on his pronunciation of Latin words. Cool.
Song: "Smooth"
Me: It's a really strange arrangement of the Rob Thomas/Santana song, and I kind of wish Chris would have chose "Maria, Maria" instead. Still, once I got past the weird arrangement, I guess I kind of liked it. My opinion of Chris' vocals fluctuates, but he remains one of my favorites just because he knows how to appeal to a contemporary audience and seems like he's at least fairly cognizant of the show's audience. Even if that means pulling a cheap imitation of Justin Timberlake.
Randy: "You did a really good job."
Paula: "It was a hot, hot performance."
Simon: "It was a good performance."
Score: 8/10

lakisha tries the conga

2. LaKisha Jones...J-Lo helps her pronounce "conga" and tells her she needs to work on her movement, and the two of them do a cute little movement sequence together. Hot.
Song: "Conga"
Me: I knew this week would be tough for the belters, and so far I'm right. I don't like this performance. It seems like another crowd disconnect, not to mention a relatively safe song choice. Again, it seemed like LaKisha just took the genre and found the song most worthy of a Whitney Houston version. It consisted of the same powerful notes we expect every week, and in my opinion nothing indicative of any kind of versatility. Plus, her dress is begging for a wardrobe malfunction.
Randy: "You were having the best time. You were having fun."
Paula: "I felt it was more of a real safe LaKisha performance."
Simon: "I actually do agree with Paula."
Score: 7/10

melinda sways with mixed results

OK, it's Tuesday night and the show is on. J-Lo's tonight's mentor, and she just appeared on screen and said she had her favorites, but didn't name names. I say she's a closet Phil Stacey fan.
Anyway, here we go.

1. Melinda Doolittle...while being mentored by J-Lo, she was told to be sexy and sultry. Which she later named as her biggest challenge, claiming, "I am so not sexy." Aww.
Song: "Sway"
Me: What else can we say about Melinda at this point? Vocally, she's always excellent. Tonight, however, I didn't see the same star quality that we've grown to expect out of her in weeks past. She came on stage looking much older than she really is, and offered a relatively stiff performance that I thought didn't have enough va-va voom to connect with the crowd. She was sexy...if you're into a cheap lounge singer with no neck.
Randy: "Another solid performance. I don't know if it was your best."
Paula: "Very, very sultry. Very smooth."
Simon: "It had to happen, Melinda. I didn't like it."
Score: 7/10

laguna idol?

It's Monday, which means another 24 hours until the next episode of AI, but rest assured that the gossip wire is overflowing with news this morning. A few highlights...

*AI contestant Chris Richardson might be hooking up with fellow reality TV star Lauren Conrad, according to this article. It says Lauren (aka: "LC"), known for her role in the MTV shows "The Hills" and "Laguna Beach," was seen at a nightclub with Chris over the weekend. Interestingly enough, Chris was recently linked to AI semifinalist Alaina Alexander. What a pimp. Looks like there's still room for me in his love triangle as well. Score.

*Also, a Latin theme is on for Tuesday. This will be muy interesante. I sense lots of Selena, Shakira and Enrique Iglesias on the horizon. Sanjaya's options seem almost endless, too. One word: Menudo. Another word: Macarena. High five!!

*Insiders say gambling odds now favor Jordin Sparks to win the competition. Elimination odds list Phil Stacey and Haley Scarnato as the contestants most likely to be ousted this week, followed (surprisingly) by LaKisha Jones and Chris Richardson.

*If you're looking for more AI reading material this morning, I recommend this article from the Chicago Tribune. It's all about the fact that AI is far from a talent competition, and its sources include a UCSB grad student in musicology who's writing a doctoral dissertation entitled "American Singing: The Mediation of Identity Politics in 'American Idol.'"

*Finally, check out this interview with the AI stylist. Teaser: It includes a discussion about the challenges of dressing a contest who lacks a neck.

let's get loud?

J-Lo will be the guest mentor on next week's episode of AI, according to this post from Entertainment Weekly.

No word on the genre the contestants will be working with, but I've heard they'll either be singing all J-Lo songs or tunes from a Latin genre. Wow. The possibilities for humor here are endless. Think Sanjaya singing "Love Don't Cost a Thing." Or "I'm Real." Or any J-Lo song. If he sports a Carmen Miranda fruit hat, consider me smitten.

In the meantime, I'm working on a longer post for early next week about -- you guessed it -- the Sanjaya phenomenon and why this season is in many viewers' opinions the lamest yet. So drop me your insights if you haven't already done so.

That aside, I am most definitely waiting for tonight. Or Tuesday night.

Have a great weekend.

hard rock

Some final thoughts on Gina's departure...it still comes as a surprise to me...she was nowhere near the top tier of performances Tuesday, but she was without a doubt higher caliber than her partners in the bottom three, Phil Stacey and Haley Scarnato.

It's noteworthy that her rocker image didn't carry her farther. I'd say it boiled down to consistency -- at best, she got mediocre reviews weekly -- but in a season driven primarily by stage presence (one word: Sanjaya) that's a rough argument to make.

Ultimately, I think viewers just didn't connect to Gina. Sure, she rocked out -- in a ballad-singing, dress-wearing kind of way -- but beyond flaunting Hot Topic gear, she wasn't hardcore enough to solidify a rocker fan base.

Plus, while showering this morning, I got the idea that Phil Stacey could have acquired some of Chris Sligh's voters. Just a thought.

At any rate, I'll miss Gina. I always called her my guilty pleasure of the season. I'm sure she'll keep rocking...at the dental office she works at in Chicago.

so you think you can write?

Details are out for the on-again, off-again -- and now on-again -- AI songwriting contest that allows entrants to write songs to be performed by this season's top two contenders. Live! On television! In front of the judges!

Click here if you're interested in submitting something. For a small personal favor, I'd really appreciate it if you make maximizing Sanjaya's awkwardness your No. 1 goal while crafting your lyrics.

I think I might write a song too, just for fun. Or not.

what?!?!?

Want to hear the latest explanation for Sanjaya's AI success? Sure you do.

Ever since the Associated Press debunked the India Call Center theory (see this article), people have been attributing Sanjaya's victories to the quasi-nude photos of his sister Shyamali , 20, that recently surfaced on the Internet. For more details, read this.

Why? Or more importantly...why???

Who ARE these people? Where did they come from and why have they suddenly become the defining faces of 'Idol'? And don't these kids have parents?

Honestly, though, I'm amused. Whether you love or hate Sanjaya, you have to admit this season would be pretty boring without him. Too bad I have to keep watching after he gets eliminated.

Thoughts?

goodbye gina

This is the elimination that's shocked me the most so far. Make no mistake...I fully predicted she'd be in the bottom three. But from the beginning I thought her niche as the token rocker chick -- make that token rocker -- would at least get her into the top half.

It's hard to tell where Gina went wrong, perhaps she went too much toward the hardcore end of things...although I still don't think she's too different from season one's third-place finisher Nikki McKibbin. I read in an article recently that one of the producers recommended she remove her tongue ring in an attempt to appeal to "middle America," but she refused. Who knows if that did her any harm.

But watching Gina get emotional during her final song really reaffirmed my hatred of Sanjaya. Why is he still here?

Ultimately, I think Gina just got hit with a week that wasn't her thing. I predicted she'd have difficulty with the American standards theme at the onset of things, but I honestly didn't think her performance was that bad. The slow tempo was probably what did her in.

Thoughts?

gina's going home

So Tony Bennett has the flu and can't perform as planned. That's what happens when you use 80-year-old mentors.

In his place, we got Michael Buble. Score! He sang "Call Me Irresponsible," and finished his performance by asking Seacrest if he's wasting his AI votes by still voting for Antonella Barba. Perv.

Time out. Phil's safe.

That means the bottom two are Haley and Gina. I say Haley's out.

False! Gina's out. Shocker?

haley, phil and gina are in jeopardy

Whoa. The Ford commercials have reached a new high. The kids are washing a car in a tropical forest while singing "One Love." Let's just say some people should never sing reggae. That means you, everyone left in the competition. And even Kermit appeared in the commercial. It's just like a Paula hallucination.

OK, we have three groups of three. Group 1 = Blake, Chris and Sanjaya

Group 2 = Haley, Gina and Phil

Group 3 = Jordin, Melinda, LaKisha

Group 3 is safe. Wow. What a surprise. I bet they're really shocked. Not. They're the top 3, Seacrest says.

And Group 1 is safe. The middle three.

So that means Group 2 (Haley, Gina, Phil) is in jeopardy. It also means that I was exactly right. Perfect.

checking in

It's 9:05, and all I have to show for it is the obligatory recap of last night's performances. If nothing else, it reinforced my hypothesis that Phil's going home tonight. Maybe.
Stay tuned. It's going to be a long hour.

phone home?

After careful contemplation, I've decided to stick with my assertion that Phil Stacey is going home tonight. His performance was boring, he didn't connect with the audience and he looked more like a corpse than 80-year-old Tony Bennett. His departure is long overdue, and I can't wait for him to go home and begin a very prosperous career as a spokesman for the Make a Wish foundation.

And I still say he'll be joined in the bottom three by Haley and Gina. Neither of them did well last night, and they both failed in their attempts to get votes via sex appeal. Gina's whole goth girl thing was one piercing away from awful, while sex kitten Haley was out-dazzled by judge Randy Jackson's sparkly shirt. What was THAT, by the way?

Surprises? I could see Blake Lewis taking an unexpected seat in the bottom three, simply because his performance was unmemorable enough to be subjected to the infamous curse of the first. Then, of course, there's always the remote suspicion one of the season's standouts -- say, Jordin or Melinda -- could hit the bottom three simply as a fluke.

Stay tuned for live updates throughout tonight's show.

MY PICKS

I can't believe I survived tonight's entire episode. I also can't believe that Tony Bennett is still alive.
Regarding my picks, however...tonight is difficult. If nothing else, it was probably the night in which the division between top- and bottom-tier was most evident. Elimination choices? I say the bottom three is Phil Stacey, Haley Scarnato and Gina Glocksen. Call me crazy, but I have a sneaking suspicion about Jordin Sparks, though.
I really need to sleep on this one. Can't wait to hear your thoughts. Please.

weathering the lakisha storm

9. LaKisha
Song: "Stormy Weather"
Me: Imagine the epitome of a LaKisha performance. This is it. Belting, big notes...yada, yada, yada. She'll be safe.
Randy: "That was the bomb, baby."
Paula: "You sound beautiful. It just proves that we all love Tony Bennett."
Simon: "That was a sassy, great performance."
Score: 7/10

haley is misbehaving...or not

8. Haley Scarnato
Song: "Ain't Misbehavin'"
Me: Haley looks hot. As usual. And that factor could get her through another round, although this performance vocally is pretty much mediocre. Even her attempts to interact with the crowd seem very forced. I really do think she could be in danger this week. But who knows? Hot people can do anything.
Randy: "What do you think, Paula?"
Paula: "You did your thang."
Simon: "I think you've got great legs."
Score: 5/10

smile, it's gina and sanjaya

6. Gina Glocksen
Song: "Smile"
Me: Honestly, I had very low expectations for Gina. This week's genre seemed to be the polar opposite of everything that comes to mind when you think of Gina. But I think she pulled it off. It was no Melinda, but I'm glad Gina's still in the competition. She gives an edge, and it's something that seems to come through even when she's pulling off a slow song. Not all fans might agree tonight.
Randy: "I thought that was a very, nice controlled performance."
Paula: Said something incoherent that kind of suggested she liked it.
Simon: "I can't rave about the vocals."
Score: 6/10

7. Sanjaya...Did Tony Bennett just say he's a huge fan of Sanjaya's? Yes.
Song: "Cheek to Cheek"
Me: Um, it wasn't horrible. It's Sanjaya's best performance of the season, but you know the limits of that analysis. I think he's entirely beyond the realm of talent now. There's no mohawk this week, though, a factor that could put him in some danger. Yeah right.
Randy: "What I like about you now is that you've turned into a great entertainer."
Paula: "I get why people like you."
Simon: "Let's try another tactic this week...um, incredible."
Score: Does it even really matter?

chris and jordin get around, clear up

4. Chris Richardson
Song: "Don't Get Around Much Anymore"
Me: Wow. SOMEBODY is trying really hard to be like Justin Timberlake tonight. OK, maybe I'm just jealous he allegedly has a girlfriend now. Boo. This song sounds exactly like it would if J-Tim made a remake of it. Which is exactly why I love his performance. Nice job, Chris. I'm still bitter, though.
Randy: "That was very cool and young and hip."
Paula: "You didn't compromise."
Simon: "I thought that was very good, actually."
Score: 8/10

5. Jordin Sparks
Song: "On a Clear Day"
Me: Going into this performance, I have high hopes for Jordin. The genre is right up her alley, and vocally the song doesn't disappoint. That said, up until the end, the performance seemed almost a bit too goody-goody for me. Part of me wishes she would have found some edgy and/or contemporary take on this one. I had high expectations for her after she opted for the risky "Hey Baby" last week. Nonetheless, she seems to have a following, and should be safe. Maybe.
Randy: "That was the bomb again."
Paula: "You really are this magnet of joy." (And you are drunk, Paula.)
Simon: "I just think that you sang a song very well, but it was very old-fashioned and very traditional."
Score: 7/10

night and day, good and bad

2. Phil Stacey...apparently Tony Bennett is his "hero." And flattery apparently works, because Tony claims he's one of the best singers he's heard. Ever.
Song: "Night and Day"
Me; Yes! No cancer patient hat tonight. This is a fine performance vocally, but something about the performance seems way too old for Phil. Throw in the creepy black suit and you just have something totally morbid. So maybe his biggest problem isn't the cancer patient hat after all. He could be in danger this week, except he slightly redeemed himself by dedicating the song to his wife at the end.
Randy: "I just didn't feel any real connection."
Paula: "I still need you to just have more joy."
Simon: "I think it had all the joy of somebody singing in a funeral parlor."
Score: 4/10

3. Melinda Doolittle
Song: "I've Got Rhythm"
Me: I'm not too impressed by Melinda tonight. Sure, she's the best singer of the bunch, but the song was a bit too showy in the beginning. Nonetheless, she redeemed it in the end, and I assume she'll be sticking around another week. This genre was ideal for Mel, and in spite of the song's initial shakiness, she ended on a note worth remembering.
Randy: "You give everyone here a lesson in singing."
Paula: "You're like a master class for everyone else to watch."
Simon: "I didn't like the first part of the song. I thought it was a bit cabaret...I don't think we're ever going to be able to criticize you."
Score: 8/10

blake cuts it up

Wow. We're off to a great start. Quick reminder that Tony Bennett (aka: "The King of Swing") is mentoring the kids tonight. He's probably the hottest 80-year-old guy in the entire world.

1. Blake Lewis
Song: "Mack the Knife"
Me: A good performance overall...by now we pretty much know what to expect out of Blake. I think he played it safe with this take on the song, with the exception of some toned-down beat-boxing at the song's conclusion. The beginning of the performance seemed a bit off, but he ended well. Bottom line? We know Blake has a pretty consistent fan base. This song should give him no problem surviving another week.
Randy: "That was a very good way to start off the evening."
Paula: "Tonight you personified jazz. You're a hip cat." (And Paula's apparently also 80 years old.)
Simon: "Good choice of song, you performed it well."
Score: 7/10 (same as Simon, I might add)

more, please!

So the hour of "Idol" is approaching and I feel pressured to make some kind of unfounded prediction about who's going home this week. I did a little research and the gambling odds favor Haley, but I feel a little ambivalent about forecasting her elimination given all the other times I've ousted her incorrectly in the past.

Moreover, remember that tonight's theme is American standards, a genre that should do more for showy Broadway Haley than, say, Phil Stacey or Gina Glocksen. I see those two -- especially Gina -- as being in serious jeopardy this week.

Then, of course, there's Sanjaya. Um, yeah. No additional joke needed.

As usual, stay tuned for live updates throughout the show.