ready for action?

Unfortunately, you'll have to wait another day.

Tuesday's "Idol" will feature mentor Dolly Parton and presumably some kind of country theme. The show starts at 8 p.m. on Fox.

Here are some links to keep you busy in the meantime:

*An anonymous "Junior Star Search" exec confirms the stage dad rumors about David Archuleta's dad in this New York Post article.

*Is it bad that "unique" contestant David Cook is being praised for simply performing covers of covers? Entertainment Weekly tackles that question here.

*On that note...if you haven't heard, in performing "Billie Jean" last week, Cook used Chris Cornell's version of the Michael Jackson song. Here's what Cornell told Billboard about the performance:

"Don't get me wrong. He sang it great. But it was literally a note-for-note take on what I came up with. At the end of the day, it's all good. It's a good thing for me. There was a moment when I was sitting there writing this new arrangement thinking, 'Is this a good idea or a bad idea?' Watching the response from the judges was really gratifying. They were signing off on it right there. It was something that worked. It was an idea that went over huge. When I play it live on tour, it brings the house down every time."

Here's the full story.

goodbyes aren't eze

Despite the headline, I'm not harboring any major grief over Chikezie's departure.

He was on his way out. At least he's touring with Idols Live, which I think is more than anybody initially expected from him.

Dolly Parton is still set to mentor the contestants next week, so I'm guessing we can expect a country theme.

In the meantime, here's an Entertainment Weekly interview in which Simon Cowell says Jason Castro might need "a kick up the ass."

Something tells me Chikezie is thinking the same thing.

chikezie: too cheesy to stay?

First, I'll emphasize I predicted tonight's elimination correctly.

It's no major surprise, especially since Chikezie struggled in sustaining a fan base early on. He picked up some energy with two consecutive weeks of bluegrass performances, but choosing a ballad this week ultimately did him in.

I don't think it was the specific song choice -- although that didn't help curb parallels to Ruben Studdard -- but instead I think the switch in genres made fans more uncertain of his musical identity. Is he a bluegrass singer? A soulful crooner? I still don't know.

I'll miss him, especially since at times he was one of the few contestants who really did seem genuine.

Thoughts? Who do you think is in trouble next?

no longer easy for chikezie

OK, results time.

Syesha's safe!

Chikezie goes home. Aww. OK, I'm really not that upset.

Surprised?

jason joins bottom 3, temporarily

Another Idol Gives Back promo. Wow, I am really not looking forward to that. Even if it does save the world.

Back to eliminations. Next up: Ramiele. Safe.

OK, down to Kristy Lee and Jason.

I say Jason's in trouble.

I'm right! Bottom 3!

This means I was 2 for 3 on the bottom three. Not bad.

OK, Jason's safe.

Down to Chikezie and Syesha.

Think Chikezie's going home?

break for k-locke

Time for Kimberley Locke performance. We get an update on her life, and she looks pretty good. Man, she's lost a lot of weight. And, ironically, she owns a restaurant.

OK, she doesn't sing "Band of Gold." Instead, it's some unknown song called "Fall." Kind of forgettable.

Oh well. At least she's still thinner than Ruben Studdard.

question & answer

Time to take questions. To Chikezie: "Are you single?"

Yes, ladies, he is very, very single. And might be very, very available after tonight's elimination.

Question to David A.: Why did you choose to sing "You're the Voice" last night?

He claims it's one of his favorite songs, and he really did pick it himself. Um, NOT!

Now one for Simon: How can I take Ryan Seacrest's job?

Simon: "The good news is you don't need a lot of talent."

Question for Brooke: Which singer would you like to duet with?

Answer: John Mayer

Last one goes to Simon: Do you consider yourself the most attractive person on the show?

Simon: "It's not what I say, it's what other people say."

Wow...this part of the show is soooo lame.

syesha's in the bottom 3

Ford commercial. It's to "I Want You to Want Me." A little uneventful.

Back to shattering peoples' dreams.

Next up: David Archuleta. Safe. David Cook. Safe. Syesha.

Bottom three!

I am happy right now.

Michael Johns. Safe.

I say Ramiele completes the bottom 3.

chikezie's in trouble

Seacrest said if the contestants' iTunes downloads could chart, they'd take the top 5 positions. Um, we'll see about that. Wow. What a huge plug for iTunes there.

Also, why is Carly pretending to be unfamiliar with the setup of a recording studio? Um, she HAS made a CD.

Obligatory recap.

Chikezie's up. Bottom 3!

Next: Brooke White. Safe. Carly Smithson. Safe. (What an awkward discussion about her weight!)

right back to fillers

And we're off!

Apparently Kimberley Locke is peforming tonight. Hope she does "Band of Gold."

Promo for the return of the songwriting competition. Eww.

Tonight's group song: "Right Back To Where We Started From." Brooke White is a horrible dancer. She should not be moving at all.

Stay tuned.

almost elimination time!

So the prevailing sentiment seems to be that Ramiele is going home. I don't agree.

I'm sticking to my pick of Chikezie, and I'll go out on a limb and pair him with Jason and Carly in the bottom three. Only because everyone else is putting Ramiele there.

At any rate, tonight's show starts at 9 p.m. on Fox. I'll blog live as usual.

See you soon!

how it went down

Thankfully, tonight was a nice departure from last week's second dose of Beatles. Then again, that's not saying much.

The hands-down standout was David Cook's rock ballad take on "Billie Jean," which stood out miles away from the pack in not only originality, but vocal quality as well. We also got a couple of nice recoveries from Ramiele, Syesha and Michael -- contestants who in past teetered on the edge of danger.

Then, of course, there were the singers on the other end of the spectrum. Chikezie unsuccessfully deviated from bluegrass and gave a sleeper take on Luther Vandross. And Kristy Lee pandered to her country fan base by doing a no-frills rendition of "God Bless the USA" that got positive reviews from the judges but offered virtually nothing in the way of uniqueness.

Perhaps the night's biggest disappointment was David Archuleta. The sole contestant able to choose a 90s song, he opted for an unknown monotonous tune that only aged him.

Anyway, here's how I'd rank 'em:

1. David Cook

2. Michael Johns

3. Syesha Mercado

4. Brooke White

5. Carly Smithson

6. Ramiele Malubay

7. Jason Castro

8. David Archuleta

9. Chikezie

10. Kristy Lee Cook

david cook: originality counts

Last up? David Cook, who looks very cute as a kid with tube socks and a guitar.

Song: "Billie Jean"

Me: Wow. A perfect equation for the rocker -- he gets the money spot and does a sweet rock ballad rendition of "Billie Jean." A little reminiscent of what he did with Lionel Richie's "Hello," but maybe even more compelling. While I still think David Cook's cocky, this performance does a pretty excellent job of fulfilling my definition of what makes an Idol. He's creative, and sounds good doing it. You really can't say he DOESN'T have an edge.

Randy: "I think you're probably the most original, the most bold contestant we've ever had."

Paula: "I'm blown away."

Simon: "That was brave...it could have either been insane or amazing. And I have to tell you it was amazing."

kristy thanks her lucky stars

Oh no. Time for Kristy Lee Cook, who claims she came out of the womb smiling.

Song: "God Bless the USA"

Me: Dangerous choice, but then again it may be exactly perfect for fan base. Guess my biggest criticism here is song choice. Vocals are better than what we've seen in the finalist stage. She virtually doesn't deviate at all from the original melody, which I guess might be the best option, given the "Eight Days a Week" fiasco. Once you accept the song, it's not horrible, but it's still a little cheesy. Unfortunately, I think it's enough to keep her around another week, though.

Randy: "I thought it was a very nice performance from you."

Paula: "To me, I've seen better performances from you. But your voice is sounding much stronger."

Simon: "Your best performance by a mile."

archuleta: voice isn't everything

Time for David Archuleta, whose spot on AI has made him miss his high school prom. His would-be date is in the audience. We also get to see scary stage dad. I kind of love watching him do the Mexican hat dance.

Song: "Your Voice"

Me: Wow...he gets the only 90s song of the bunch, and he picks something totally unknown. Please make him be criticized for that. I don't love this performance, either. It ages him like 40 years. He becomes some inspirational singer doing the same verse over and over. I can't even understand what he's saying. Nobody knows this song, and he certainly didn't do a very good job of selling it. Not enjoyable.

Randy: "It was a strange song choice for me...but it was still very nice."

Paula: "You can sing the phone book and we'd fall in love with you."

Simon: "I actually didn't like the performance at all."

change of heart for carly?

Here's Carly, who was apparently named after Carly Simon. And she had really, really curly hair as a kid. And no tattoos.

Song: "Total Eclipse of the Heart"

Me: Not necessarily the most original song choice, but once again she's pretty spot-on vocally. In typical Carly fashion, there's lots of big notes and I think she does a nice job of giving it a hard-rock edge. Could easily be criticized as screaming, though. Vocals are good, but not the best of what we've seen from her. I'd place it right in the middle of "Come Together" (stellar) and "Blackbird" (mediocre).

Randy: "I liked it, I didn't love it."

Paula: "I loved what you did at the end."

Simon: "Something didn't quite work there."

michael: tonight's champion?

Time for Michael Johns. His parents say he's very competitive. He says he used to throw tables during card games with his sister. He again emphasizes how he thought he would be a professional tennis player. He is so not a real jock.

Song: "We Will Rock You/We Are The Champions"

Me: Two songs. Kind of an AI first. I like it, though. Good choice to stick with the Queen after the success on "Bohemian Rhapsody." A little reminiscent of some of Daughtry's performances. I like this one more and more as the song progresses. Excellent stage presence, good interaction with the crowd. Probably my favorite MJ performance of the finalist phase, and it should help him gain some fans. Glad the coasting vibe is gone.

Randy: "That was the best performance for me since you've been on this show."

Paula: "This was your moment, your shining moment."

Simon: "This is the first time with you I saw star potential."

brooke leaves us breathless?

Here's Brooke White. She's the oldest of four kids. Her parents are really hot. Mmm.

Song: "Every Breath You Take"

Me: Whoa! A mess up early on! Double start. Maybe not too surprisingly, she goes for a slower version of this song while playing the piano. The pace picks up midway through, but that's also when she loses a bit of the original feel. Glad she stuck with the piano instead of flailing around on stage again. Shudder. I still think she's one of the most unique singers of the bunch, and she's almost guaranteed safety again. I'm still a fan.

Randy: "I did not love the arrangement with the band coming in."

Paula: "I enjoyed this performance so much more than last week's."

Simon: "The minute it picked up tempo and the band joined in it became very old-fashioned."

chikezie: one-night harmony?

Uh-oh. Chikezie is up. He tells us he's doing a ballad. Maybe not the best decision. Wow. He was born on Sept. 11. He also uses the phrase "Nigerian cultural" music again. How much do you think he loves saying that?

Song: "If Only for One Night"

Me: He's back in Ruben Studdard mode. Vocals are solid, especially the more powerful notes toward the end. That aside, I can't say this kind of song choice really does much to separate him from the pack. Maybe I'd reather see him jumping around to bluegrass. Thing is, Chikezie might be in danger of an identity crisis since this performance comes after two straight weeks of bluegrass. You almost always run a risk when you do a slow song, and this one might have put him in danger.

Randy: "I didn't love it for you...it was very old school."

Paula: "It's a good throwback...I think that you did a great job."

Simon: "I think you sang it well...I thout the performance, actually, was very cheesy."

is syesha your woman?

Next up: Syesha, who makes her freaky baby cry sound again. Not exactly enhancing her popularity.

Song: "If I Were Your Woman"

Me: A predictable song for this belter, but she performs it pretty well. It's probably the song that fits her best out of everything she's done in recent weeks. Also, she appears more confident on stage than what we've seen before. Still, I have difficulty putting her at the same level as belters from years past. She's still no Melinda Doolittle in my mind, or Tamyra Gray. Her vocals are on tonight, but it still seems like a little something's missing. I'm not entirely sold yet.

Randy: "This is a good moment for you for me...I think this is the best you've ever sounded to us."

Paula: "Syesha flipped it and became the dark horse that's going to sail on through."

Simon: "I think there is a limit on your vocals and I think that song stretched it."

fragile jason gets broken

Time for Jason, who is apparently celebrating his birthday tonight. Somebody (Lisa) might want to put on some lingerie and jump out of a cake for him. We also see a couple cute shots of him as a kid. No, he has not had dreads for his entire life.

Song: "Fragile"

Me: Not exactly loving the song choice. On the plus side, I guess, it has a little more of a rock edge than what we've seen in past weeks. But I end up getting kind of lost in the melody and it really doesn't do too much to showcase his vocals. There's no standout moment, and even part of his charismatic stage presence seemed to be missing. It's a safe choice, one that doesn't show too much range, and it could lose him a few fans.

Randy: "I don't know if you did anything different with it vocally...It was all right."

Paula: "I don't think we saw anything different."

Simon: "I think you've had two bad weeks."

ramiele: alone at the top?

First up? Ramiele, who was born in Saudi Arabia. She also used to bite kids. That could include Danny Noriega. Maybe.

Song: "Alone"

Me: Not necessarily the best song choice, especially since Carly Smithson nailed this song earlier this season. Still, she follows through and delivers what the judges have asked for during the entire top 12 stage -- more belting. It's probably her strongest performance in recent weeks, but she doesn't deviate too much from the original version of the song. And I'm not sure I'm entirely sold on her belting. It borders on shrieking at times. I still like Carrie Underwood's version better, but this is one of Ramiele's personal bests.

Randy: "It wasn't the right song choice for you for me."

Paula: "I'm really glad that America's heard you sing and how big your voice is."

Simon: "After what you sang last week...then you're going to get through again on that performance."

it's time

Here we go!

Seacrest tells us that things are going to be "in rare form" tonight. That may or may not be a good thing.

Let's get this party started.

idol here we come

Don't forget: Tonight's show starts at 8 p.m. on Fox. The 10 contestants will perform songs from their birth years.

I'll be blogging live as usual, so get your comments ready.

In the meantime, here are some links to keep you busy:

Dolly Parton will mentor the singers next week, according to this article.

Here's an interesting piece reminding us of Kristy Lee Cook's connection with Britney Spears. There's even a picture of them together!

This article gives us a little more background on David Cook, including an interview with his high school theater teacher.

See you tonight!

rising above

Remember Josiah Leming?

Um, that kid who cried throughout Hollywood Week and alledgedly lived in his car?

He just signed with Warner Bros. records, according to this article.

Question of the day: Will he be more or less successful than Amanda Overmyer? How about Danny Noriega?

a special dedication

This doesn't happen often, but here's a blog post dedicated entirely to one of my most faithful readers/stalkers: Miss Lisa Campo, who turns 24 today. Peruse the comments on this blog and you will quickly learn she has a slight interest/fatal attraction for Jason Castro. What you might not know is that the feeling is mutual.

Here are some Lisa-specific thoughts that have crossed his mind during recent performances:

"I don't know what she ever saw in crew cuts."

"If only I had accepted that job at Fountain City Coffee..."

"Thank God Sonya bought her those handcuffs."


(Insert your own phrase from "Dirty French" here.)

Happy birthday, girl! I love you! Package will be mailed soon!

(You, too, can have a personalized blog post soon. Keep reading and it will happen before you know it.)

hanging on

I've written before about how Jason Castro appeared on the MTV reality series "Cheyenne," which followed teen Cheyenne Kimball in efforts to become a pop star.

Jason showed up occasionally as Cheyenne's love interest. Today, I learned he was also in Cheyenne's music video for "Hanging On."

Access that video here.

You have to wait until about the two-minute mark to see Jason, and his appearance is kind of brief. Not to mention the fact that his arms are around another girl, which might make certain current stalkers angry.

I do love, however, the fact that one of the YouTube comments about the video reads: "I want Jason Castro to bang me on a rainbow."

See, Lisa, you're not the only one.

Which may be bad news.

next week's theme

Tuesday, contestants will sing a song from their birth years. Here are those years, according to Wikipedia:

Brooke White: 1983

Carly Smithson: 1983

Chikezie: 1985

David Archuleta: 1990

David Cook: 1982

Jason Castro: 1987

Kristy Lee Cook: 1984

Michael Johns: 1978

Ramiele Malubay: 1987

Syesha Mercado: 1987

Predictions?

over it

Well, my initial sadness over Amanda's departure has subsided a bit.

Sure, she had great stage presence, but the truth is she would have been another Taylor Hicks had she won. Great at cover songs within a specific genre, but lousy on her own.

Still, I liked her, namely because she had that no-prior-experience, big-break feel that's becoming a thing of the past on AI. She literally was someone with a real job and a dream...hoping to use this show to make it happen.

I mean, even Kristy Lee had a recording contract...and look at what she's given us so far. Shudder.

I never saw Amanda winning the whole thing, but I did expect her to go on the AI tour. I really do think her spot as the first singer Tuesday aided in a perhaps premature departure. Curse of the first...thanks, anonymous commenter, for pointing out my earlier error.

Amanda spoke to reporters today, and seemed pretty grounded and realistic about her future chances of stardom. Here's something she said in this interview:

"Hopefully I created enough attention that somebody wants to pick me up and let me do something with music. But chances are they won't and I might end up right back where I started. I'll probably give it a good six months or so and beat the pavement. If this ends up being my 15 minutes of fame I will gracefully bow out and move on to do something different. This will not be the unicorn I will chase for the rest of my life."

Good answer, right?

rock out with your amanda out

Wow. I'm still pretty shocked.

Is anyone else devastated that Amanda was sent home?

In the end, I attribute it 98 percent to the curse of the first, and 2 percent to the one-trick pony phenomenon.

Still...I am shocked.

When will Kristy Lee leave?

Thoughts?

amanda's back home

Results time.

Carly's safe. Down to Amanda and Kristy Lee.

I say Kristy goes.

I'm wrong!

Amanda's outta here!

Wow. I am shocked.

Sad right now.

Curse of the first?

bottom 3 = kristy, carly, amanda

Recap from Fantasia and Elliot. In Africa, or whatever. Unneccessary. Do good, save the world, whatever.

Back to shattering people's dreams.

First up: Syesha. Safe. Now between Amanda and Chikezie.

Amanda's in the bottom 3!

Bottom 3 = Kristy Lee, Amanda Overmyer, Carly

my pick = pickler

Here's Kellie Pickler. Yes! Even though she did turn down an interview with me. Aww.

She is so hot. I really wish I would have interviewed her.

Nice banter with Simon and Randy. Wow...I really wish the interview would have come through.

I'm not obsessed though. Seriously.

question & answer

Wow. Viewers' comments...remember, this stuff is filmed before the show.

Why does Simon spend so much money on cars, and not on clothes?

Simon: "Unlike some people on the show, I don't have an ego."

Next question: Would Simon consider filming a sequel to the kiss scene (with Paula)?

Simon: "Yes...you (Paula) are actually a very good kisser."

OK, a question for Ramiele: What was the last song that you downloaded on your iPod?

"R. Kelly. 'I'm a Flirt."

Question for Johns: "Has your experience been everything that you thought it would be?"

Um, yes?

bottom three = carly & kristy lee

Recap of the making of the Ford video. What's up with all the winter clothing? Like, seriously...it's California.

Brrr...or not.

OK, now on to the actual video. It's to "Should I Stay or Should I Go." Um, I say go. The black and white footage is scaring me. Kinda short, too.

Poor Carly. I can't believe she's in the bottom 3.

Next up...David Cook. Safe. Kristy Lee Cook. Oh no, this isn't looking good. She might be safe.

No! Bottom three!

Next up: Jason Castro. Safe, duh. (Lisa is so turned on right now.)

Here's Ramiele. I say safe. I'm right!

Safe!

Looks like bottom 3 singers won't be performing tonight.

carly's in trouble

OK, obligatory recap. Whatever.

First group: Brooke. Safe. Now Carly. In trouble!

She enters the bottom 3! I am surprised!

Here's Archuleta. I say yes. I'm right. Safe!

Next up: Michael Johns. Um, safe?

Yes. He's safe.

Wow...no performance from Carly? What's the deal?

and here we go

Wow. What a quick start.

We not only learned about the songwriter competition, but also got a little sampling of this season's mentors. Dolly Parton, Mariah Carey, Andrew Lloyd Webber and some random guy. Yes!

Then, of course, there was the group song. Hot? They spent a good majority of the medley singing "Here, There and Everywhere," which was incidentally the song Kady Malloy was supposed to sing, had she stayed in the competition.

You can thank me for that bit of trivia later.

not so "live" after all

The recap segment you see at the end of each AI performance episode isn't actually footage from that night, TMZ reports.

It's footage of the finalists during rehearsal.

That makes sense, since the show is live and there's no way they'd be able to compile all those screen shots so quickly. Still, it's kind of a scary fact as well -- that recap is the last impression many viewers get of the contestants.

Sure, it's only like 7 seconds, but if that recap footage dramatically differes from the actual live show, it might make a real difference in saving someone in jeopardy.

Thoughts?

almost dream-killing time

After one of the dullest shows in AI history, tonight's results show should be interesting. The performances were all so forgettable that really singer could end up in the bottom 3.

There seems to be almost universal agreement that Kristy Lee Cook should be the one to go home, but rounding the rest of the terror trifecta becomes a little difficult. Opinions across the blogosphere differ dramatically.

Choices for the No. 1 singer of the night? This guy says Ramiele, this guy says Carly and this guy says Syesha and David A. I'm sticking with my pick of Carly.

Anyway, the show starts at 9 p.m. on Fox. I'll be blogging "live" as usual.

tough week

If anything, tonight's episode taught us that AI contestants, at least this season's batch, can't handle back-to-back weeks of the same genre.

For the most part, the night was draining, with few memorable performances. Even singers in the night's top spots didn't truly deliver standout offerings. It was clear, at least in my mind, that singers struggled more with song choice than what we've seen in the past.

In spite of contestants' intentions, tonight didn't mark a total turnaround for anybody -- it only solidified spots for a top contender (Carly) and a struggling singer trying to find herself vocally (Kristy).

Anyway, here's how I'd rank 'em:

1. Carly

2. Chikezie

3. David A.

4. David C.

5. Amanda

6. Syesha

7. Michael

8. Brooke

9. Jason

10. Ramiele

11. Kristy

ramiele gets better?

Last up, it's Ramiele Malubay, who lists her most memorable moment as making a bunch of new friends. Aww.

Song: "I Should Have Known Better"

Me: Starts off a bit rough, but it's nice to see her go for something a little more upbeat this week. She really can master those high notes. Still, for the majority of the verses, she sounds a bit flat. Unfortunately, she doesn't entirely achieve her goal of not boring the audience. But she shows almost 100 percent more personality than what we've gotten out of her in the past, and I give her points for that. Not entirely awful.

Randy: "You showed that confidence that I know that's in there."

Paula: "Definitely better than last week."

Simon: "You chose (a) really mediocre (song) and didn't show enough personality."

chikezie gets face time

Wow. Who was that old guy who just got some serious air time?

Time for Chikezie, who says his most memorable moment was Hollywood Week. He also adds that John Lennon is his favorite Beatle.

Song: "I've Just Seen a Face"

Me: Chikezie vows to take the stage with an instrument, but there is none to be found. OK, just kidding. He plays a harmonica. I'm a bit hesitant at first, namely because the first part sucks. He channels his poor man's Ruben Studdard again. But then he (perhaps unneccessarily) picks up the harmonica and goes all bluegrass on us again. I like it, there certainly more energy than other contestants of the night, but to some extent it seems like he's just trying to replicate last week's performance. Good energy, pretty good vocals, though. Yet I'm still not entirely sold on Chikezie as the unofficial "O Brother, Where Art Thou" mascot.

Randy: "It was a very weird, strange arrangement."

Paula: "You're showing who you are and the depth and the scope of your vocals."

Simon: "It started off OK, and then you played the harmonica...then it turns into Achy Breaky Heart at the end...I thought it was gimicky."

yesterday tonight for syesha

Here's Syesha Mercado, who opts for a very low-cut dress tonight. Kind of hot. Her most memorable moment is being in the bottom 3 last week. Says she needed a kick in the butt. Whatever.

Song: "Yesterday"

Me: She prefaces the song saying she wants to touch everybody tonight. Probably shouldn't give people too many ideas when you're sporting that much cleavage. Anyway, she opts for a very slow version of this song, and while it's not entirely boring, I'm not totally sold. Decent control, though, and I'm glad she didn't go overboard with the belting. It's probably her best of the competition. She'll likely stick around.

Randy: "Very, very, very good performance."

Paula: "It's great to see how you change and how you let yourself be very vulnerable."

Simon: "I thought that was probably your best performance so far."

jason, my belle

Time for Jason Castro, whose most memorable moment was singing "Hallelujah." Good call.

Song: "Michelle"

Me: Wow. No guitar tonight. Must have been too hard to balance that and learning French. Surprisingly, he pulls it off pretty well. I'd put this week at least at the level of what we got last week, maybe even a little higher. It's a bit tame, and not the best of the night vocally, but as usual he woos anyone on the fence with his looks. Something tells me plenty of women are fantasizing about eating a baguette with him right now. (That means you, Lisa.)

Randy: "I don't know if I really, really got it."

Paula: "You have a very distinct charm about you...I feel like you get a little disconnect when you're away from your guitar."

Simon: "Where you're lucky is that this is a TV show, not a radio show."

carly flies high

Next up? Carly Smithson, another contestant who names her most memorable moment as last week.

Song: "Blackbird"

Me: Whoa! What was the deal with that childhood pic of her with a fro? OK, I've recovered. It's weird seeing her do a slow song, and immediately I like last week's performance better. It's slow at first, but I'm sold midway through. Even though there are traces of her earlier attempts to become Celine Dion. I do like seeing Carly do something a little tamer. She shows some more versatility than, say, David Archuleta. Agree?

Randy: "Another great performance for Carly Smithson."

Paula: "You have an amazing tone to your voice."

Simon: "I thought the song was indulgent."

david cook trips out

Next up: David Cook. His most memorable moment is last week. Yeah, I would have said the Lionel Richie week, but whatever. He sooo wishes there was a Chris Daughtry theme week.

Song: "Day Tripper"

Me: He admits he's relying on a Whitesnake cover. He takes the stage with a guitar, as usual, and gives another fairly solid rock performance. It's good, but he wastes a pretty solid block of time with an instrumental/voice box interlude. In the end, I don't hate it, but I still don't see him as anything more than a cheap Daughtry knockoff. And he's clearly pretty cocky, too, which detracts serious points in my mind.

Randy: "You keep it interesting."

Paula: "You're ready to go sell records."

Simon: "I don't think that was as good as you thought it was."

not all sunny for brooke

It's Brooke White. Ryan calls her "the sweetest person alive." She also talks about her visiting relatives from Nova Scotia. Apparently singing "Let It Be" was one of the most memorable moments of her life.

Song: "Here Comes the Sun"

Me: Brooke takes the stage sans instrument, a relative first for her. Can't say it's one of my favorite performances of hers. This performance in particular reminds me that like Jason, she's a contestant who has difficulty standing alone. Like, literally. Her dancing is sooo awkward. And I didn't really appreciate the "woo-hoo" mid-performance. All in all, it's a safe choice, and one that just seems uncomfortable. Period.

Randy: "That performance was really awkward for me."

Paula: "You can't help but smile when you watch you...You have really good low tones to your voice."

Simon: "I thought the performance was terrible."

life with mikey

Wow...what a cheesy iPhone plug.

Here's Michael Johns, whose most memorable moment is singing "Bohemian Rhapsody." Wow. Somebody just admitted to peaking too early.

Song: "A Day in the Life"

Me: Wow. He still looks hot. Weird song choice, though. He has kind of an awful falsetto moment early in the song, too. As he hinted in his pre-performance interview, this was a difficult song to condense and it comes off kind of disjointed in my mind. Plus, his voice sounds kinda off. Raspy, and then just off-key. In the end, another case of bad song choice, although Michael did redeem himself a bit by saying it was dedicated to his dead friend. Cheers to the pity vote!

Randy: "It wasn't one of your best performances."

Paula: "You lose a little connection with the audience a little bit because you're worried about how you sound."

Simon: "It was a mess."

david archuleta's road to success

Here's David Archuleta, who talks about forgetting the lyrics last week. His first thought? "Dang it." Yeah, I bet his dad was thinking something a little more severe.

Song: "The Long and Winding Road"

Me: Man, I hate it when he sings ballads. He's totally trying to repeat his "Imagine" performance. Anyway, the performance ends up being typical Archuleta. Slow notes, quasi-belting and lots of teenagers screaming. Vocally, he's on -- not to the level of "Imagine," but still still on. He'll be safe, I'm sure. Could be, unfortunately, the favorite of the night so far.

Randy: "David Archuleta's brought the hotness back to his game tonight."

Paula: "This probably for me is the most exciting and wonderful performance."

Simon: "This week I thought you were amazing."

kristy hides her talent away

Now it's Kristy Lee Cook, who shares her collection of photographs. We also get to see her dog. And horse. Her most memorable moement? The fact that she's been in the bottom two, like, forever. Yeah, I guess memorable in a bad way.

Song: "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away"

Me: Hard to tell if she's going full-fledged country again. Looks like kind of not. Naturally, better than what we saw last week, but I'm far from being sold. I'd say it's a relatively bad song choice for her. Nothing was glaringly wrong with it, but it gets super monotonous and even I'm getting dizzy with her pacing across the stage. Not too vocally challenging, either.

Randy: "It felt a little boring and a little safe."

Paula: "It was good."

Simon: "I think you need something like hypnosis...the problem is that you're not a good performer."

Note: Kristy, in return, promises to blow Simon out of his socks next week. Hopefully we won't have to witness that.

amanda's back for us

First up? Amanda Overmyer, who talks about her success last week. And bluegrass. Or whatever.

Song: "Back in the USSR"

Me: OK, don't like this performance as much as her song last week. It doesn't seem as challenging vocally, and we end up with just basically another couple minutes of raspy-voiced rock. It's shaky at first, but she does a nice job of picking things up midway through. Can't say it's incredibly memorable, yet I think she still brings something kind of unique to the competition. She's proven herself as someone who would get a bar crowd fired up...guess that might be enough to secure a fan base for now.

Randy: "It was just a little pitchy in the beginning...For me, I've gotta give you a 7 out of 10."

Paula: "It was a little sketchy at first, but when you connect you are quintessential."

Simon: "It was what it was...it's just the same thing week after week after week."

it's on

OK, here we go.

Whether or not you're ready...it's another night of AI. Seacrest says this week is the Beatles, as opposed to the Lennon-McCartney songbook last week. Still don't really get the difference.

Stay tuned!

the beatles, part 2

It's "Idol" night!

The show starts at 8 p.m. on Fox and contestants will again sing tunes from the Lennon-McCartney songbook. Can't wait. As usual, I'll be blogging "live" throughout the show, so keep those great comments coming!

In the meantime, here are some AI links to keep you busy:

*Season 5 finalist Kellie Pickler will perform her hit single "Red High Heels" on Wednesday's results show, this article reports. Kellie was one of my favorite contestants when she appeared on the show, but I've had some animosity toward her ever since she bailed on an interview we scheduled last year. Oh well.

*E! News debates Amanda Overmyer's role as Vote for the Worst's pick of the season.

*Here's a transcript from a recent episode of "The O'Reilly Factor" in which Bill O'Reilly asks if AI is sexist.

*Finally, the AP offers this piece with a little more info on Brooke White's background. It quotes a drama teacher who worked with Brooke on her first kissing scene: "I've never kissed anyone before except my Mom and Dad," he remembers Brooke saying.

cruise & booze

Happy Monday!

Think Carly Smithson is boozing it up to celebrate her Irish roots tonight? Either way, here are some updates from the AI world:

*Danny Noriega is appearing on Rosie O'Donnell's cruise, he confirms in this strangely "Blair Witch"-esque video. Thanks for a week's worth of nightmares involving pleather pants and a bad rendition of "Copacabana."

*On a brighter note, here's a drinking game to enhance your AI viewing pleasure. My favorite excerpt: "Take a shot every time Paula says something original. (This may never happen)."

*Kristy Lee Cook recently got some advice from legendary country singer Tanya Tucker, TMZ reports. When she was 16, Kristy reportedly met Tanya and sang some songs at one of her shows.

*Finally, here's another article confirming that Mariah Carey will appear as a guest judge this season.

don't ask, don't tell

No, I'm not referring to activities that may or may not have transpired inside Dick's Cabaret.

AJC "Idol" blogger Rodney Ho links to two articles from reporters lucky enough to get access to the "Idol" results taping. They share lots of cool secrets, like the fact that the Katharine McPhee performance and the viewer call-in segment weren't actually filmed live.

Access the articles here and here.

Have a good weekend, and get ready for another week of AI magic!

blast from the past

The LA Times has this piece catching up with "The Crying Girl" from last season.

Her real name is Ashley Ferl, and she's now a freshman in high school.

Even though she admits liking last season better -- due mainly to Sanjaya -- AI producers have given her tickets to this season's April 1 show.

Get ready for more close-ups!

(Photo via People)

daddy issues

It's not as good as the stripper scandal, but it'll have to do.

David Archuleta has a super serious stage dad, Entertainment Tonight reports. His father, Jeff Archuleta, reportedly yelled at David during a recent recording session -- enough to make him cry.

It's not the first time, either. Sources say daddy dearest got so out of control that he was eventually banned from the set of "Star Search" while David was competing.

What's more, the folks over at Vote for the Worst have done some investigative work on the issue as well, revealing that Jeff Archuleta has some AI connections. See the evidence here.

Wake me up when people start taking their clothes off.

when one door closes...

Ousted contestant David Hernandez told reporters today his elimination was due to poor song choice, not his past as a male stripper.

Also, apparently his No. 1 song choice for this week was "Let It Be," but when he and Brooke White both wanted the same song, Brooke ultimately won it in a lottery.

(As far as song choice rules go...one guy and one girl can sing same song during semifinals. Once AI gets to the Top 12, songs can't be repeated. Get the full story here.)

Back to Hernandez...he's looking for a label and would like to release an album within a year. His current plans?

"I'm probably going to watch reruns of 'Friends' or something," he said. "I just want to relax."

(Source: E! News. See complete story here.)

stripping down david's exit

Aww...David Hernandez leaves against a backdrop of Ruben's cover of "Celebrate Me Home." I can't believe we're going to have to listen to that song 11 more times.

Anyway, even though I predicted one of the girls would go home, David's departure isn't too much of a surprise. In the end, I think he was hurt about 20 percent by the stripper scandal and 80 percent by a forgettable performance last night.

While some singers -- Kristy Lee and maybe even Ramiele -- were much worse vocally, I'd guess their fan bases are stronger and more faithful. Sure, this season David was an object of intrigue, but intrigue alone doesn't always translate into votes.

I'm still sad, though, and I'm still wondering who the heck is voting for Syesha week after week. You can help me figure that out.

How do you guys feel? Think the right person went home?

hernandez is outta here!

Narrowing the bottom 3. Judges agree America got it right.

Syesha's safe. Boo. Who is voting for that girl?

Down to Kristy and David. I say David goes.

Correct.

David Hernandez is outta here! I will miss him.

Don't go back to stripping, David! Time to rise up! He tells America, "you'll see me at the top." Don't want to think about what that means.

hernandez completes bottom 3

Last group: Archuleta, Brooke, Hernandez and Ramiele.

Archuleta's safe. Brooke's safe.

Down to Hernandez and Ramiele. I say Hernandez is in trouble.

I'm right.

Hernandez is in the bottom 3.

Time to sing. Luckily, he doesn't have to walk through the audience again.

Aww...I'm going to be sad if he goes home.

kat's back

Time for a Katharine McPhee performance.

She sings "Something." Decent.

Don't really have too much else to say...guess there could have been a worse filler.

Like Taylor Hicks.

don't ask, don't tell

Wow, the debut of the interactive fan phone call session.

A 12-year-old girl ask Jason which AI judge he'd like to be. He doesn't really answer.

Next question: What's your advice for someone who's auditioned six times?

Simon: "Get another job."

OK, some guy name John asks Ryan and Simon to "duke it out" on stage. Something tells me David Hernandez just got waaay too excited about that possibility.

Last question: Simon, does America or England have better singing talent?

Simon says American singers have the most talent, but Brits are better judges.

Well said.

kristy's in the bottom 3

Yes! Ford commercial! They're singing "The Distance" by Cake and pretending that they're all running for president.

If that election was real, which one would you vote for?

Video filler montage of how AI has already changed all the contestants' lives. Actually, I think Seacreast used the word "touched," which means this segment is targeting David Hernandez.

Next up, Chikezie, Amanda, Kristy Lee, David Cook.

Chikezie's safe. Amanda's safe. David's safe.

I say Kristy's in the bottom 3.

She is!

Oh no...we have to hear "Eight Days a Week" again.

Yeah, you know how that turned out.

syesha's in the bottom 3

Back to the show. Obligatory recap.

Carly, Michael, Jason and Syesha are called up.

Carly's safe. Michael's safe. Jason's safe.

Syesha's in the bottom three. No surprise there.

And, in the tradition of fillers, she has to sing again. This possibly sounds worse than last night.

I sooo want her to go home.

somebody's going home...

We're just going to have to wait an hour to find out who it is.

In the meantime, Jim Carrey is in the audience. Wearing an elephant costume. Strangely enough, his hair still looks better than Amanda's. Not entirely kidding.

Whoa...next week's theme, apparently, is Lennon/McCartney again. Really?!?

Cue group song. Eww. They're all, like, really flat tonight. This is painful.

And Sanjaya's in the audience.

This is going to be a good night.

a night of surprises

What a weird night. Who knew that the majority of viewers would one night likely agree that Chikezie outsang David Archuleta?

That's what I'd say, at least. It was a night that for the most part gave us tame, safe song choices. Illustrated perhaps best by David Archuleta's botched rendition of "We Can Work It Out." Archuleta, long called this season's front-runner, repeatedly forgot the words and seemed to lack his usually charismatic stage presence.

Then, of course, there was Kristy Lee Cook's horrible country take on "Eight Days a Week," which even made Paula grimace in pain.

But there were some standouts, including Carly Smithson and (very surprisingly) Chikezie.

Anyway, here's how I'd rank 'em:

1. Carly Smithson

2. Amanda Overmyer

3. Chikezie

4. Brooke White

5. David Cook

6. Michael Johns

7. Jason Cook

8. Syesha Mercado

9. David Archuleta

10. David Hernandez

11. Ramiele Malubay

12. Kristy Lee Cook

This isn't, of course, how tomorrow's elimination will necessarily pan out. Kristy could easily have enough country fans to save her another week.

So who goes? I have a weird hunch David might be safe, leaving it between the two remaining bland females: Syesha and Ramiele.

Syesha's time to go?

david archuleta doesn't work it out

Last up? David Archuleta, who tells us that he wasn't really familiar with a lot of Beatles songs. But then he learned that they sang "We Can Work it Out," a song he knew. He probably heard it on Radio Disney or something.

Song: "We Can Work it Out"

Me: Whoa! He forgets the words about seven seconds into the the performance. And again. And again. The song's not even over but he's tripped up on the lyrics three times. The beginning of the end? Um, maybe. This is definitely his worst performance of the season, though. He like transformed into a cheesy lounge singer or something. He looks terrified and the vocals just seem boring.

Randy: "This week, dawg, it was not on point."

Paula: "We love you."

Simon: "That was a mess...it was just all over the place."

eight days ain't enough for kristy

Now it's Kristy Lee Cook, who prefaces her performance by telling us she's taking a big risk and making a Beatles song country. This might not go well.

Song: "Eight Days a Week"

Me: This is weird. Probably one of the most off-base arrangements I've seen on AI. You really can't make a country version of anything. Not only is the tempo bad, but it seems like she's trying to over-exaggerate the country vibe in her voice. Uniqueness gone wrong. I'm over her. It's all very trippy, and I spent the majority of my time watching just waiting for it to be over. Not comfortable.

Randy: "I'm kind of torn with this one. Half of me likes it, half of me didn't like it."

Paula: "I didn't get it."

Simon: "I thought it was horrendous, actually. You sounded like Dolly Parton on helium."

michael takes us to the stars?

Here's Michael Johns. He's done a lot of stuff "to make ends meet," including coaching tennis. His song tonight helped him through a "pretty painful family experience." Heavy. Lighten up, dude.

Song: "Across the Universe"

Me: Mmm. Michael Johns looks HOT tonight. He's getting all ballad singer on us, too, and I like it. Hot. It's better than some of the stuff we saw from him during semifinals, but in the end -- physical appearance aside -- this peformance suffers from the same problem we got from Ramiele. I was waiting for something big to happen, and it didn't. Kind of safe choice overall.

Randy: "I thought it was good...it was OK for me. A little sleepy, but it was all right."

Paula: "I thought that was a brilliant peformance."

Simon: "It was a little bit monotonous."

amanda can do that

Time for Amanda Overmyer. She reminds us that she's a nurse. Who rides a Harley. Wow, never heard this before.

Song: "You Can't Do That"

Me: What a weird song choice. It's not as bad as I imagined, though. Amanda goes all bluesy this week. Kind of like it. Fans might like her better without the overt hard-rock vibe. I guess I do, too. She's still kind of like a bar singer in my mind, and this isn't nearly as good as her take on Joan Jett last week. Still, I'll hold out for her because she's different. And managed to make a pretty tricky song her own.

Randy: "I loved it, I thought it was cool."

Paula: "I am blown away."

Simon: "I understood about 30 percent of what you sang...I think it's a good thing that you're in this competition because you're like a breath of fresh air when you come on."

david hernandez: standing there

Next up is David Hernandez. He talks about his job at a pizza bistro...and his role as a student...and?? OK, dude, I think we all know what you're forgetting. No mystery here.

Song: "I Saw Her Standing There"

Me: Some serious hip gyrations tonight. Think I know where he got those. It has its good points, with some nice memorable high notes and belting. Powerful voice. He's got that going in his favor. Still, this is another one of those performances where you're expecting something better than what you actually get. Only it works in the opposite way of what happened to Ramiele. While we expected her to get loud, David at many points needed to cool down and step away from the belting.

Randy: "For me, it was a little too overdone."

Paula: "I feel like you kind of overdid it a little bit."

Simon: "I thought it was corny verging on desperate."

let it be...brooke?

Here's Brooke White. She reminds us she was a nanny. Here's a question: Why are the Idols always taking photos?

Song: "Let It Be"

Me: Cool. She's at the piano tonight. Bonus points? Anyway, I'm sure you can imagine how this performance goes. All acoustic and everything. Imagine Brooke at a piano singing really slowly. There you go. I think the best part was the end when she rocked out. Still, she picked probably the best song of the batch for her voice. All in all, I'm happy with it. I want Brooke to stick around this season as long as possible just to prove that you don't have to be a die-hard Whitney Houston/Celine/Christina fan to be an AI contender.

Randy: "I love the fact that you have all of this conviction...you gave a very heartfelt performance."

Paula: "This is your niche, Brooke."

Simon: "I thought, Brooke, it was again one of the best performances of the night."

david cook (kind of) rocks

Time for David Cook. He reminds us he was a bartender who performed at a bar, too.

Song: "Eleanor Rigby"

Me: Wow. He is sooo trying to be Chris Daughtry. Early on, it's clear this performance won't be at the quality of last week's "Hello." The beginning is rough, and I don't really know what to think for the opening seconds of it. The chorus redeems him to some extent, but I guess my expectations are just too high after what we saw last week. Wish we could have gotten a little more originality, or at least a little more vocal power early on.

Randy: "Once you hit the chorus, dude, it was rocking."

Paula: "I think that you are fantastic."

Simon: "I thought it was brilliant."

come together for carly

Time for Carly Smithson. Wow. She's really cleaned up since the first week. Soo much less vampiric. She tells us that she's rooming with Amanda Overmyer. Must be the party room. Anyway, she reminds us that she works at a bar. I wish I could party on St. Patrick's Day with her.

Song: "Come Together"

Me: Embarrassed to admit that this is another performance that makes me actually like Carly. Surprisingly, I like it it because it's not as vocally challenging as songs she's done before. Without a doubt, it's my favorite of the night. Vocals seem right on and tonight Carly appears to have a stage presence that increases her likeability even more. OK, so she's still a semi-pro, but I see a lot of ambivalent viewers being converted after tonight. Sorry.

Randy: "There wasn't a note out of tune. Stellar performance."

Paula: "I felt like I was already watching a star."

Simon: "Week after week, so far, I've thought that you have chosen the wrong song. Until now." (He added a parallel to Kelly Clarkson, which I don't think was 100 percent justified.)

fallin' for jason?

Next up? Jason Castro. He tells us he's in college and failed a music class once. Oh, and his family's from Colombia.

Song: "If I Fell"

Me: He's back with his guitar. It's a good perfomance, quiet and pretty intriguing. Not quite at the level of last week's "Hallelujah" -- slightly more boring -- but he's not going to lose fans over it. Overall, the song gets a little long and monotonous, but at least partially redeems itself on Jason's uniqueness points. I wish he wouldn't have played it so safe, but I'm still a fan.

Randy: "I liked it, I didn't love it."

Paula: "I disagree with Randy...I feel your heart and I feel that the audience feels your heart."

Simon: "It was all a little bit student in a bedroom at midnight."

ramiele puts us to sleep

Here's Ramiele

Song: "In My Life"

Me: Typical Ramiele. It's kind of one of those performances where you're waiting the whole time for something really big to happen but it never really does. She doesn't have a bad voice, but this performance as a whole just doesn't seem very challenging. Mediocre at best. Nothing that's going to earn her fans, and that's kind of what she needs at this stage of the competition. She could be in trouble.

Randy: "It was kind of pretty, but it was also pretty boring for me."

Paula: "It was pretty safe."

Simon: "I was bored to tears throughout the entire song."

chikeze wows 'em

Next up, Chikezie. We're reminded he used to work security at LAX. Something tells me he was one of those really slow luggage inspectors who try to feel you up when they're checking your pants for bombs. Or whatever. He also reminds us he was raised on "Nigerian cultural music."

Song: "She's a Woman"

Me: Wow. What is this? Chikezie is sitting down surrounded by fiddlers. It reminds me of something we'd see Chris Richardson do last season. Glad that was only temporary. The pace picks up, and Chikezie kind of tries to rock out. It's pretty good, more memorable than what we got out of Syesha. Actually, he's kind of turned over a new leaf overall. Better stage presence, definitely, and this unique arrangement actually makes him look waaaay better than a cheap Ruben Studdard knockoff. Pretty good, overall.

Randy: "Chikezie smashed it."

Paula: "I've been waiting for this. The reward paid off."

Simon: "I'm really surprised that I actually agree with these two...You actually have changed within a week."

want syesha in your life?

First up? Syesha, who tells us she's a "working actress." Apparently the public access-worthy commercials we saw earlier this season are enough to earn her that title. Who knew?

Song: "Gotta Get You Into My Life"

Me: Wow, not the best start. She's definitely a little flat. She picks up some energy at the halfway mark, but it's clear she's not in her element when she's not belting. I'm not loving this. Yeah, the powerful notes are good, but there's only a few of them. For the most part, it's a little flat and kind of forgettable. Could have been much worse, especially for the first of the night, but it could have been a lot better, too.

Randy: "It was all right."

Paula: "It started off pitched...but midway through you found your zone."

Simon: "I thought it was a great choice of song...I just think you looked very, very nervous."

new stage, same amateurs

And we're on!

Big reveal of the night so far is the -- gasp! -- new stage. OK, it looks pretty much like the last one, but I am impressed by some of the upgrades. Too bad this has absolutely no bearing on the contestants' suckage levels.

TMZ reported earlier tonight that in spite of its glory, the new stage was offering some technical problems today, so we'll see what happens.

Can't wait to get the party started!

ready to twist and shout

Only a few more hours until we get to watch the Idols botch Beatles songs. Yes!

I'll be blogging live as usual, so be sure to weigh in with your comments throughout the show. It starts at 8 p.m. on Fox.

Oh, and on another note, Randy Jackson confirms in this article that Mariah Carey will be a guest judge this season. I REALLY hope there's not a Mariah theme week.

OK, secretly that's a lie. I want that to happen. Badly.

See you tonight!

how it's gonna go down

Or not.

Apparently all the cool kids try to predict the entire season's results ahead of time, so I'll do the same. As the majority of bloggers note, it's virtually impossible to do so, since you never know which theme weeks will throw certain contestants off.

Either way, here's my very uneducated guess, from first place to first eliminated:

1. Jason Castro

2. David Archuleta

3. Brooke White

4. David Cook

5. Carly Smithson

6. Michael Johns

7. Amanda Overmyer

8. David Hernandez

9. Ramiele Malubay

10. Syesha Mercado

11. Kristy Lee Cook

12. Chikezie

How would you guys do it?

who you calling a has-been?

An update on two of the most divisive former AI contestants.

First, one from now:

Rosie O'Donnell has offered Danny Noriega a gig performing on her cruise line. Get the full story here.

And one from, um, later:

Here's a random update on what Sanjaya Malakar has been up to since his AI run. Summary: He just performed at a bat mitzvah, and might record an album in the "very near future." In it, he'd like to do an R&B collaboration with Stevie Wonder.

In Sanjaya's own words:

"Right after the 'American Idol' tour, which was the most incredible thing I've experienced to this date, I needed some downtime," he said. "I'd been caught up in this crazy whirlwind that happened overnight. So I went off and wrote music with my sister, and I've been writing a lot, working with producers. I've been playing shows and charity events. I've been developing myself as an artist, because I came directly from high school to this career, so I've been learning about this business."

meditating on the dozen

Thanks again, everyone, for all the great comments this week.

There's a lot to look forward to beginning Monday, when after a long weekend of soul-searching meditation, I'll make my advance picks for how everyone will rank up this season. Feel free to do the same.

Again...the theme for the first round of Top 12 performances is the Lennon-McCarthy songbook. Look forward to something fun in advance predicting contestants' song choices.

Have a great weekend!

and then there were 12

Wow. They really did not to show those corny dance sequences again. Anyway, again, here's who got the boot tonight:

1. Kady Malloy

2. Luke Menard

3. Asia'h Epperson

4. Danny Noriega

I ended up being three for four on my picks. I totally didn't see Danny leaving -- not that I thought he was the best or anything, but I figured his memorable personality would keep him around for a bit.

Guess people just got tired of him, or maybe Vote for the Worst doesn't still have the appeal that we got in the season of Sanjaya. Either way, I can't see Chikezie advancing very far within the top 12.

As for the other three...it was a combination of bad song choice (many on the part of Asia'h) and forgettable personalities (Kady and Luke).

What did you think of tonight's eliminations? Did America get it right? And who do you see as the weakest link within the top 12?

no more love for danny

OK, time for the guys. Down to Danny and Chikezie.

I say Chikezie goes.

I'm wrong!

Danny's outta here!

I'm pretty shocked.

Does anyone even like Chikezie? Seriously. I am going to miss Danny so much.

asia'h goes home

Back to Kristy and Asia'h.

I say Asia'h goes.

I'm right!

She's gone!

Wow...I'm three for three on my picks right now.

down to kristy & asia'h

Back to the girls.

Ramiele. Safe. Carly. Safe. Amanda. Safe.

OK, down to Kristy Lee and Asia'h.

Commercial break.

Who do you think goes?

luke go-goes

Back to results.

David Hernandez is up. Safe! Yes...I am so happy.

Michael Johns. Safe.

Luke Menard. He should be gone.

I'm right! Again!

Outta here!

Whoa...check out those arms. Did he like take steroids overnight or something? Seriously. What is his deal?

Aww. I'm going to miss him.

kady doesn't live forever

OK, over to the girls. I really hope somebody gets eliminated soon.

First up, Brooke White. Safe. Now Syesha. Safe.

Time for Kady. I say she goes.

I'm right!

She's outta here!

Sendoff song, of course, and goodbye.

What's up with her outfit, btw?

nothing yet

Seacrest claims Paula's track is No. 1 on iTunes. We'll see about that.

OK, time for results. Guys first.

David Cook's safe. David Archuleta's safe. Jason's safe.

And commercial.

return of the beatboxer

And here we go.

Things kick off right away with a Blake Lewis performance. I'm assuming this means we won't get a group song. That could be Blake's biggest contribution to humanity since he got the second-place title.

Anyway, while I have my reservations at first, Blake's performance isn't half bad. In fact, I could have this song in my head for the rest of the night. Thanks a lot. Things could have been worse, though, and I survived with few injuries.

What did you guys think?

who's getting the boot?

Just about an hour until we find out!

Don't forget...tonight's show starts at 8 p.m. on Fox. Four contestants will be eliminated, and Blake Lewis -- last season's runner-up -- will perform.

My picks for elimination are Luke and Chikezie, as well as Kady and Asia'h.

I'll be blogging live as usual, so get those comments ready!

girls didn't all have fun

Well, I have to say I'm not as enthusiastic tonight as I was at the end of last night's show. If nothing else, the last night of female semifinals only solidified the fact that at least so far, the guys are superior this season.

And what was up with the judges? I guess I should be happy to see Paula back to her usual drug-inspired antics, but I think I'm more scared than anything else.

Anyway, here's how I'd rank 'em:

1. Amanda

2. Brooke

3. Carly

4. Syesha

5. Kristy Lee

6. Ramiele

7. Asia'h

8. Kady

saving your love for syesha?

Last up? Syesha, who was rejected by her second-grade crush. These stories are so stupid. Doesn't embarrassing stuff happen to these girls, like, now?

Song: "Saving All My Love for You"

Me: Great. Another Whitney Houston song. Strangely inevitable. She's a better Whitney than Asia'h -- and still has some really great legs -- but even though the song is polished vocally, it comes off as pretty forgettable in the grand scheme of the night. Not too much originality, and all too predictable for my tastes.

Randy: "Good."

Paula: "Sophisticated, lovely."

Simon: "A bit predictable, but good."

in love with brooke?

Here's Brooke White, who once hugged the wrong guy thinking it was her dad. When she was 13.

Song: "Love is a Battlefield"

Me: She opts for an interesting, acoustic-type version of this song and I like it. So far, it's tonight's most unique rendition. Brooke takes a risk and is accompanied only by a guitar, creating a darker, less danceable vibe than what you'd expect from the original. Die-hard Benatar fans might be reluctant to embrace it, but this is definitely one of my top picks of the night so far.

Randy: "Actually, I really liked it."

Paula: "I thought it was a very wise choice that you did that."

Simon: "You made it into a completely different type of song...and once again, two weeks running, you did a completely great performance."

odds favor ramiele?

Time for Ramiele, who once had somebody laugh at her picture or something. I don't get it.

Song: "Against All Odds"

Me: Ugg. This song is so overdone. Seriously, it really is one of the most performed songs on AI. Check out this database. Anyway, the performance is OK, but kind of safe and very predictable. I don't know...Ramiele hasn't done anything to really get my attention. She's shown pretty much zero personality, and all of her performances -- however good they are -- seem to hover in the forgettable range. I could do without her. And what's up with her weird friendship with Danny Noriega?

Randy: "Find that confidence again."

Paula: "You deserve to be in the top 12."

Simon: "I actually thought it was very old-fashioned....I'm not jumping out of my chair on that. Sorry."

faithful to kristy lee?

Next up? Kristy Lee Cook, who tells us she used to pretend to be a dog. TMI.

Song: "Faithfully"

Me: Taking the judges' advice from last week, Kristy goes full-fledged country this week. I'm hesitant to like this at first, but her creativity with the song is refreshing, and she has no glaring problems vocally. As far as slow songs go, she's miles ahead of what Kady gave us earlier. I could have used a little more charisma on stage, though, as this performance in my mind isn't quite memorable enough to secure Kristy a spot in the finals.

Randy: "I actually liked it."

Paula: "That could be a hit for you in country music."

Simon: "I still think that your problem is that you're forgettable...At best I can see you coming in 10th."

carly shows us her drive

Time for Carly, who once got her leg stuck in a railing. I hate these stories.

Song: "I Drove All Night"

Me: Nice way sneak another Celine Dion imitation in here. That aside, as hard as it is to admit this, it's another performance that makes me like Carly more and more. Sure, she's basically just doing some Celine Dion, but it sounds good and you can't deny the fact that she has a pretty solid vocal range. Let's just say her take on Celine is much more convincing than Asia'h's take on Whitney. Well done, overall. She should be safe.

Randy: "You keep smashing it every week."

Paula: "I think that you are totally, totally in your niche."

Simon: "Once again I didn't think you chose the right song...You're a million times better than that song."

love amanda, hate myself

Time for Amanda, who apparently somehow once burned down a pool. Don't ask. I don't get it, either.

Song: "I Hate Myself for Loving You"

Me: Well, um, it's better than last week. Way better. She picked pretty much one of the best songs possible for her voice and style, and she almost did enough to make me a converted Amanda fan. Good stage presence and more originality than what we saw out of the first two contestants. I still have some concerns about her vocally, but I'll give her the OK this week.

Randy: "That's the Amanda that we loved when we first saw her."

Paula: "You've found your niche."

Simon: "I thought it was fantastic."

will kady be here forever?

Time for Kady Malloy, who ruined a version of Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful" AND tripped over a microphone cord, destroying the sound system in a talent show. Whatever.

Song: "Who Wants to Live Forever"

Me: It's a good performance, although not exactly the lighter side of Kady that the judges have been begging to see for the past couple weeks. I have to say I finally understand what they mean. Again, it's like she wants to make herself an adult contemporary singer or something. I don't get her deal. I didn't have any major musical problems with it, but the overall tone was just way to somber for me. And we didn't even get a fun opera video this time.

Randy: "I think you did a pretty good job of it."

Paula: "I think to date this was for me your best performance."

Simon: "I'm still having issues with your massive lack of personality."

asia'h wants to dance

And here we go.

First up? Asia'h Epperson, whose most embarrassing moment involves falling down while roller skating when she was an extra on a movie.

Song: "I Wanna Dance with Somebody"

Me: It's not a total train wreck, but my biggest problem with Asia'h is that she seems to consistently think she's better than she really is. This performance is a perfect case study. She doesn't have Whitney's vocal range when it comes to high notes, and even with Asia'h somewhat engaging stage presence, the performance ends up coming off simply as a cheap Whitney knockoff. No originality, and nothing spectacular vocally, either.

Randy: "That was hot."

Paula: "You nailed it."

Simon: "I'm not quite so enthusiastic...at best it was second-rate Whitney Houston."

girls just wanna have fun

What do you think is the likelihood we'll hear that song tonight?

If anyone chooses it, I'm guessing it'll be Kady Malloy. Are you with me?

Anyway, tonight's show starts at 8 p.m. on Fox. The ladies, like the men last night, will be singing '80s songs.

As usual, I'll be blogging the episode live, so keep the great comments coming! You're what makes this blog a success.

See you tonight!

scandal no. 2

Given the last post, I figured I'd post a link to these pics that have many people saying Ramiele is this season's Antonella.

Don't get your hopes up, though.

The pics, which come from Ramiele's Facebook account, are pretty tame. The one that's being labeled most scandal-worthy just shows Ramiele touching another girl's chest.

Big deal. Loosen up, people.

remember her?

In the wake of all the recent drama involving David Hernandez, MTV decided to give us an update on last season's biggest scandal-maker, Antonella Barba.

Refresher: Antonella, who was eliminated this same week last year, gave life to an otherwise boring season last year when some questionable pics surfaced. See them here.

Anyway, for all the hoopla she generated last year, Antonella actually seems pretty normal now. Turns out that rather than milking her 15 minutes of fame, she went back to school at Catholic University after being eliminated from the show.

She turned down a VH1 reality show deal, and is now a celebrity spokesperson for Election Law, a technology company. She's also still pursuing a music career, working with a producer who's worked with Dr. Dre and Eminem.

An excerpt:

"I sometimes worry that I'm waiting too long [to start my singing career], and that's what's so hard about being patient and finishing school. But at the same time, I need time to finish my degree and have some time to myself, and everything last year was such a whirlwind. I had to regroup and have a game plan. To have jumped into something immediately ... I would have been too frazzled."

See the full interview here.

tonight's guys: better than ever

For the first time this season, I actually enjoyed watching the guys. Tonight, we not only got some on-spot vocals and song choices, but some unexpected originality as well. David Cook likely converted even more fans with his guitar-playing, rock-inspired take on an unexpected Lionel Richie song.

And Jason Castro proved he can do more than just play a guitar with his thoughtful, engaging take on Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah."

Here's my rankings for the night:

1. David Cook

2. Jason Castro

3. David Hernandez

4. Michael Johns

5. David Archuleta

6. Danny Noriega

7. Chikezie

8. Luke Menard

Thoughts?

do we need chikezie?

Here's Chikezie, who tells a story about using the girls' bathroom. Way lame.

Song: "All the Woman I Need"

Me: This is OK, but naturally kind of a letdown after the chain of good performances before his. Plus, Chikezie already sang this during auditions, which kind of dampens things for me. I don't know...there's nothing terribly wrong with this, but Chikezie still has to do something to get my attention. He still seems pretty "blah," and he could be in trouble this week.

Randy: "You did a good job of it."

Paula: "Your vocals sound really good tonight."

Simon: "I don't think that worked at all."

hallelujah, jason

Time for Jason Castro, who tells a pretty funny story about how he once accidentally pulled one of his dreads out during a date.

Song: "Hallelujah"

Me: Whoa. Something must be wrong...I'm actually liking the male performances. Jason takes the stage for a slow song, sans guitar, and it ends up being probably his best song yet. I really love it, and what I like most about Jason is that he doesn't try to be overtly showy or engaging to get fans. He just kind of does his thing. Love this one.

Randy: "You did a pretty good job of it."

Paula: "You made it sound so effortless with ease."

Simon: "I thought it was absolutely brilliant what you just did."

say hello to david cook

Here's David Cook, who forgot the lyrics while peforming in a talent show. Big deal.

Song: "Hello"

Me: Wow. He's playing the guitar. He is such a Daughtry wannabe. OK, now that I have that out of my system, this performance isn't really that bad. OK, it's good. I actually like the rocked-out take on Lionel Richie. It's something original, which I appreciate, and the guitar playing is great too. Great song choice, equally great vocals and originality. I like him now. Don't tell anybody.

Randy: "I thought it was brilliant."

Paula: "I totally love when you come on that stage."

Simon: "That was a very brave thing to do and I loved it."

don't forget about michael

Here's Michael Johns, who once was beaten up by a bunch of guys while dressed as a kangaroo at a rugby match.

Song: "Don't You Forget About Me"

Me: I SO should have predicted that he would sing this song. It's nearly a perfect fit for him, and the performance overall is much more engaging than what we saw last week. He has a great stage presence, and like David H. he's another one who doesn't appear plastic in front of the camera. Plus, he's still really hot. Even when he's kind of spazzing out toward the end of this performance.

Randy: "Very nicely done."

Paula: "I am so glad that you are the type of artist who really is defining who you are."

Simon: "I liked it, I didn't love it."

here's david...clothed

Here's David Hernandez, whose most embarrassing moment surprisingly does not involve a stripping debacle. No, it's something about having a big booger on his face during a photo shoot. I'm sure something worse happened at least once at Dick's Cabaret.

Song: "It's All Coming Back to Me Now"

Me: I love this guy. I think he has one of the best vocals here. And he used to be a stripper. For real! I like this vocal better than David Archuleta's. Sure, there are a few pitch problems, but his notes seem stronger and overall he appears less plastic than a majority of the other male contestants this season. He has a good stage presence, and this song should be enough to get him to the final 12.

Randy: "I thought it was really good."

Paula: "I really feel like you're getting into your groove here."

Simon: "It wasn't as good as last week...But you've 100 percent secured a spot in the finals for that."

danny's tainted

Here's Danny Noriega, whose most embarrassing moment came when his friend tripped him and he fell down some stairs right in front of his crush. He calls it TMTH. Too Much To Handle. I am SO going to start using that.

Song: "Tainted Love"

Me: Yes! I'm so happy that fast-song Danny is back. And he's jumping up and down with a scarf and purple hair. This performance is back on the level of "Jailhouse Rock," which means Simon will hate it and it will reaffirm Danny's role as my favorite contestant of the season. It's not a horrible vocal, though, and I hope he sticks around.

Randy: "I liked the way you did it at the end."

Paula: "You're like this bright light in this competition...I love the fact that you're true to yourself."

Simon: "I thought it was horrible. Absolutely useless."

david archuleta's in paradise?

Time for David Archuleta, who tells us he's thirsty and he needs to pee. And that's not even his most embarrassing moment. That goes to the time he was singing at a Honduras fundraiser and lost his voice mid-song. His mom had to finish it for him. How much do you want to bet he just wanted to show off the fact that he sang in Honduras?

Song: "Another Day in Paradise"

Me: Phil Collins...kind of a surprise. I'm impressed by the fact that he plays the piano early in the song, although he did get up midway through. It's OK, clearly better than Luke vocally, but it seems like David's trying to make some kind of big statement like he did last week with "Imagine" and this song is hardly as exciting. He doesn't blow it, but it's not a standout effort, either. He'll still be safe, though, given the consistent teen presence in the crowd.

Randy: "It was nice."

Paula: "I loved that there were a couple notes that were off because you proved to me that you're not this make-believe person."

Simon: "It wasn't as good as last week."

luke's ready to go-go

All right...here we go. '80s theme, of course. Question of the night is what's your most embarrassing moment?

First up is Luke Menard, whose most embarrassing moment involves being dressed up as a girl by his sister when he was a kid. We get a picture...but I'm not impressed. Neither is Danny Noriega, I'm sure.

Song: "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go"

Me: Wow. Luke in the No. 1 spot, also known as the most forgettable spot. This is not going to go well. I am, however, happy to see him pull out some Wham! Clearly he's been visiting the Ledger-Enquirer's Friday dance parties. Looong story. Anyway, his performance is typical Luke, a bunch of high notes and some awkward stage presence. He sounds out of place with almost every song he sings, but I at least like this one better than his attempts to rock out last week. Still not the best ever, though, and his awkwardness might put him in danger.

Randy: "It was all right, a little bit corny for me, but all right."

Paula: "I loved, loved, loved your interpretation of it."

Simon: "I didn't like it. I thought it was weak, a little bit girly."

he's safe!

AI executive producer Ken Warwick talked to TV Guide about whether insiders plan to drop David Hernandez from the show based on confirmation that he once worked as a stripper.

Looks like they don't, according to this excerpt from the interview:

TVGuide.com: Will the revelations about David's stripper past have any impact on whether he stays on the show?

Ken Warwick: No, it won't make any difference. The truth is, we're never judgmental about what people do to earn a living. They've got to put food in people's mouths. We've had strippers on the show before. Nikki McKibben was one in [Season] 1. We're never judgmental about people who do things like that. If it were some sort of heavy porn, then maybe we'd have to take action. But certainly not on this.

TVGuide.com: Were you aware of his past before it was reported?

Warwick: No, I wasn't. [Laughs] But the truth of the matter is, it wouldn't have made any difference. There are a lot of people I know who'd love to have the opportunity just to make a better living by taking their clothes off.

Looks like he's here to stay!

Read the full article here.

See you tonight for live blogging beginning at 8 p.m.

it's true!

I couldn't be any happier!

A manager at Dick's Cabaret has confirmed that David Hernandez worked at the Phoenix nightclub steadily for three years, appearing fully nude and giving lap dances to a mostly male clientele.

Get the full story here.

Think he'll be disqualified?

We might find out tonight. Reminder: The show starts at 8 p.m. and I'll be blogging live as usual. This should be interesting!

ready for another week?

I know I am!

Sorry for the recent lack of posts...as I noted on my nightlife blog, I finally caught the flu everybody's been complaining about this season. Yuck.

But don't worry, I'll be blogging AI as usual this week. I'm especially excited, in fact -- not only because this is our last round of semifinals, but because it's '80s WEEK!!

Danny Noriega + Culture Club = Magic

Which song(s) do you most want to hear? Which '80s classics would you prefer remain untouched by Idol voices?

In another item of major importance...Vote for the Worst is still on a search for information proving that David Hernandez was once a gay stripper in Phoenix. Now, they've found these photos from his personal Photobucket account. One includes David dressed as a stripper for Halloween.

Again...please be true. Please be true. Please be true.