A Little Less Animation

Elvis really has left the building.

Crystal - Saved - loved how she picked a non-traditional Elvis tune! LOVED it! only complaint - hard to hear her guitar - that would have been fun!
K says, maybe didn't need guitar...so many of these performances would have been better had the SINGERS moved around more.

Andrew - HoundDog - didn't listen to a word that Adam said! boring, and again with the weird inflection on some of the words. 
K said maybe he wants to "clock out", seems like a performance that wouldn't convince anyone to vote

Tim -Can't Help Falling in Love - I was really hoping he was going to go with the falsetto at the end...but it was beautiful the way he did it. I thought he connected and it was a sweet, simple rendition of a classic tune. 

Lee - A Little Less Conversation - good arrangement of the song, and it was a little less restrained than the usual Lee performance. 

I am totally hearting Adam as a mentor! Love the straight-up, no BS comments!
K says, best Adam comment of the night, that "nothing going on here" in Lee's face; I don't get all the praise for Lee, what's he doing vocally that Casey isn't thrashing him on week in/out?

Aaron - Blue Suede Shoes - thought he gave it 110% - fun performance. He tried to do something different in terms of song choice. Not sure that it was the best choice if he wants to stick around for another week...
K says another pretty good performance that was over-cheesified by the arrangement. Some of the blame for these performances has to rest with Ricky Minor & crew.

Siobahn - Suspicious Minds - pretty good until she changed it up at the end. I didn't like the slowed-down part, maybe a strange song choice for her. Show your individuality in your performance, not by sassing the judges. 
K says she never recovered after that week (3 weeks ago?) that the judges slapped her down.

PS from K -- is Seacrest drunk? So many weird moments(making awkward sexual innuendo w/Adam, dancing w/Sarver during Tim's song, telling that Grandma in the crowd something would "suck", etc), culminating in an especially cruel slam against poor, forgotten castoff Brian Dunkleman. Seacrest is a d-bag extraordinaire.

Big Mike - In the Ghetto - thought it was smart to sing this song, did give him a chance to connect a bit -without all of the posturing he usually does. K thought it was kind of meh - song started at one level and never went anywhere beyond it. 

Katie - Baby What do ya want me to do? - sort of sassy-lite - I know she is trying, but  I imagine it would be hard for her to be as 'frustrated' as she would need to be to do this song proud. 
K thinks if she would come out just one week without the 1990 sorority bad-girl costume she might get some respect.

Chicken LIttle alert! Just saw Kevin Covais, Didi and Elliot Yamin on the promo for the 11pm newscast!

Casey - Lawdy Miss Clawdy - classic tune that is worth a listen (Elvis 68' Comeback Special version) I thought Casey did a great job with it! LOVE to hear him sing - to me, he has the best voice in the competition. I thought it was better than the judges gave him credit for...
K says this is a prime example of the band effing the singer: go back and listen to Casey ripping it up for Adam, solo. He would have KILLED it by himself, just w/the guitar.


Rankings 

Crystal
Tim
Casey
Lee

Big Mike
Katie

Aaron
Siobahn
Andrew

L&K's bottom three:  Aaron, Siobahn, Andrew 
Andrew and Aaron go home

America's bottom three:  Katie Aaron Andrew, Andrew and Aaron say adios

A little less satisfaction....

First of all...I thought that Adam was a great mentor and gave them all really good advice...much better advice than most of the other mentors have and better than the judges.

Crystal - Solid as usual. What is there to say. Having the electric guitar gave it a nice change.

Andrew - Horrible. He should have listened to Adam's advice. It was BORING. When Adam told him to take it up a little, he sounded pretty good...but then he went back to the boring version. Bye Bye Andrew.

Tim - Simon said it: Zero to hero. Very nice performance that showed off his vocal ability.

Lee- Lee was awesome tonight. For probably the first time, I saw some star quality in her.

Aaron - completely Kareoke.

Cinnabon - One word - Schizophrenic. Its ok to not want to be pidgeon-holed, but she is all over the place.

Big Mike - I have to say...as much as I dislike him, he was great tonight. He was off his cocky perch and he allowed his vocals to shine. I think being almost elminated was good for him. I hope he learned a lesson.

Katie - Wow...rocked it ronight. I thought she sounded better than ever and gave an energetic performance. She took Adam's advice and ran with it.

Casey - Great bluesy performance Judges are off the mark on him. He was one of the bet of the night.

Rubbertoe's rankings:

1-2-3: I'm going to call it a tie between Lee, Casey and Crystal

4. Tim
5. Big Mike
6. Katie

HUGE SPACE

7. Cinnabon

EVEN MORE HUGE SPACE

8. Aaron
9. Andrew


America cannot possibly get the two eliminations (Andrew/Aaron) wrong.
However, America will put Tim in the bottom 3 wih them.

The Top 9: The Elvis Show Has Brought About the End of the World . . . I Ranked Tim Above Casey???? WTF?

The pressure is on . . . Are you ready? This is American Idol.

Here are our Nine Finalists!

I think Aaron borrowed Lee's jacket . . .

Tonight we are going to experience Elvis' songbook . . . I'm just going to go ahead and predict that Andrew Garcia is going to serve up some mozzerella cheese sticks . . .

I love Glambert, but I'm not sure how he warrants being an Idol mentor for Elvis night . . .

Did Ryan just tell Adam that "he had an extra 2 inches tonight"? Er . . . Um . . . anyway . . .

And did he just say, "My tongue isn't nearly as talented as yours" . . . Seriously! LOVES IT!

1. Crystal Bowersox - She's singing "Saved" . . . I'm lovin this gospel vibe with the electric guitar . . . Blow it out, Ms. Crystal. A big, ball of awesome from Ms. Crystal. SHE NAILED IT! Randy thought she has energy and it was dope. Ellen thought it was fantastic. Kara thought it was solid and uptempo. Simon thought it suited her and she put her own slant on it.

2. Andrew Garcia - I'm scared . . . Stop talking Andrew . . . He's singing "Hound Dog" . . . Is that changing things up? He has stolen my wallet chain . . . Oh Andrew . . . this is slow and slightly boring . . . Just ok for J . . . nothing too exciting . . . Randy thought it was not good karaoke. Ellen wanted more swagga, and thought he pulled it off. Kara didn't think he owned it. Simon thought it was lazy and didn't feel like the star performance. . . Andrew is in trouble.

3. Tim Urban - He's singing "Can't Help Falling Love" . . . this could be gorgeous or it could be horrendous . . . Turban? It's definitely a stripped down version of the song . . . that was kind of beautiful . . . I'm a wee bit impressed with Mr. Urban. . . that was lovely. Randy actually liked it. Ellen is comparing him to taking many shots of tequila. Kara thought it was her favorite Tim performance. Simon thinks he's gone from zero to hero in two weeks.

4. Lee DeWyze - Singing "A Little Less Conversation" . . . Adam correctly perceives that Lee doesn't give good face. His performance was very good . . . very solid. I continue to be impressed. Randy is impressed. Ellen thought it sounded current. Kara thought he went for it vocally. Simon thought he nailed it.

5. Aaron Kelly - Singin "Blue Suede Shoes" . . . this could be wonderful or . . . I'm just not sure . . . It's got a cheese tinge to it, but his vocals sound good. He showed much more range in his voice . . . but again, with a side of cheese. Randy thought it was better in the second half. Ellen thought it was a big song to take on, but didn't think he got all the way there. Kara likes that he was out of his comfort zone. Simon thought it made him older . . . like at a high school concert.

6. Siobhan Magnus - She's singing "Suspicious Minds" . . . She has her back turned to the audience . . . Performance was boring until she hits the slow down at the end . . . I like the end. Randy liked the back half of the song. Ellen liked the second half of the song. Kara is confused and wasn't crazy about it. Simon thought she was a completely different person and very erratic.

7. Big Mike - He's singing "In the Ghetto" . . . A very solid vocal performance from Big Mike. He sang it well and it felt genuine. Much, much better than last week. Randy thought it was a little sleepy, but HOT. Ellen is glad they saved him. Kara thought it was beautiful. Simon thought it was a terrific choice of song.

8. Katie Stevens - She's singin "Baby, What You Want Me to Do" . . . Adam wants her to get "throaty" . . . She's got the neck roll going on . . . Her pipes are improving each week, and I like the vocals. Randy thought it was entertaining. Ellen thought it was a very horny song. Kara thought she showed the judges. Katie thought it was loud and annoying.

9. Casey James - I so don't know this song . . . Loudy, Ms. Cloudy . . . or Lordy Ms. Clordy . . . or something like that . . . He just looks like he's already won . . . Both he and Crystal have that look about them . . . like they've already won and are just singing . . . I wanna yank his pony tail. Randy thought it was solid. Ellen wasn't excited, but thinks he's always good. Kara thinks it fell short. Simon thought it was a wasted opportunity, but his vocal was good.

J's rankings

1. Crystal,
(space)
2. Lee
3. Tim
4. Casey
(space)
5. Big Mike
(space)
6. Siobhan
7. Katie
(big space)
8.Aaron
(Massive Space),
9. Andrew

The Top 9: Idol Points Game

Alright, Lil Taste Contributors . . . here were our standings going into this week.

1. J - 11 points
2. Rubbertoe - 10 points
3. Dr.L/K - 8 points

We did not fare terribly well this week, yo . . . Here's how we did.

J - 2 of bottom 3 correct (Aaron and Andrew) = 2 points
Rubbertoe - 2 of bottom 3 correct (Aaron and Andrew) = 2 points
Dr.L/K - 2 of bottom 3 correct (Aaron and Andrew) = 2 points

None of us predicted the "exiting" Idol correctly and none of us predicted the #9 Idol correctly in our pre-idol rankings . . .

Even more bizarre to me, we each picked a different bottom 3 person to go along with Aaron and Andrew . . . Tim, Katie, and Lee . . . AND NONE OF US GOT IT RIGHT! How is this possible, Idol nation. I think I can speak on behalf of my fellow Lil Tasters when I say . . . WTF!?

Current Standings

1. J - 13 points
2. Rubbertoe - 12 points
3. Dr. L/K - 10 points

See ya next week . . .

The Top 9 Results: What the F*&^?

Ok, so, I'm not really sure what I'm WTFing about . . . let's break it down.

WTF #1: Kara's prodigy is a total queen . . . and that song kinda sucked.

WTF #2: Why didn't we have the traditional three/three/three in the Top 9 results?

WTF break: Lil David was back and I still heart him

Crack me up moment: The look on Tim's face when he was told to join Casey/Lee

WTF #3: Why oh why can't America be consistent . . . you never agree with me America, and suddenly, now, you decide to pick my personal bottom three as the bottom three. Ughs.

WTF #4: Dear RiRi, stop sucking so hardcore.

WTF #5: Why is RiRi pretending to play the electric guitar?

WTF #6: ANDREW IS SAFE????????? WTF?

Ok, I'm done WTFing . . . I'm not surprised in the least that they used the save on Big Mike . . . two will go home next week . . . and I'm thinkin Tim, Katie, and Andrew had better be on their game, yo. . . .

J's Top 9 Picks: What to do . . . What to do . . .

Ok, so, I have lamented over these picks throughout the day. There are several different scenarios that could play out. I think America's votes will put Katie, Tim, Andrew, and Aaron in danger. Although, I think that Katie shouldn't be in that group and Big Mike should . . . . but that's another conversation.

I'm sort of with an earlier post of Rubbertoe's, and am starting to think of Tim Urban as Kristy Lee Cook . . . slowly getting somewhat better, but still shouldn't be here . . . but America likes him enough to keep him in. Therefore, I think he will be safe, but I'm not convinced he's safe from the bottom three.

Then, there's Katie who I think should be safe, but has been in the bottom three two weeks in a row . . . which in a normal season would almost guarantee her safety this week . . . but this is not a normal season, and I am still convinced that voting totals are WAY DOWN this year.

Another thing to consider . . . where do Didi's votes go?

Yet another thing to consider . . . America loves little Yoda . . . Aaron, and they love Lee's boyfriend, Andrew.

Who to pick . . . Who to pick . . .

Ok, here it is

Bottom Three: Tim, Aaron, Andrew
Going Home: Andrew

We shall soon see . . .

Idol Need Contestants Like THIS

...if it's a singing competition, as Simon and crew sometimes protest.

-- K

The long and cheesy road

Aaron - The Long and Winding Road: sort of a Byran Adams -ish sound to this version. A bit sleepy sounding, maybe? A safe, middle of the road performance.

Katie - Let it Be: Way to go Katie! liked this version of the song - kind of on the country side? Really thought it suited her voice and it had a 'current' vibe to it. She had some nice sass to the pre-performance sit-down with Ryan.

Andrew - Can't Buy Me Love: Hmmm, well he had a lot of energy - and he seemed to have fun. Not really my fave, I think the judges pinned it with the 'corny' comment. K - thought old-fashioned.

(Looking at Katie's pink dress and Andrew's yellow shirt - was there an Easter Peep theme going on tonight?)

Big Mike - Eleanor Rigby: Wow! that was a new take on this song, with the R&B vibe. K - says, Big Mike has really exceeded his expectations the past few weeks, - thought he was a one trick pony, but he is much more than that. Maybe the secret to Mike is to not watch his grandiose gestures as he performs because his personality is pretty obnoxious at times. Idol sure wants him to stay: Swoop-O-Cam and the on-stage string section.

Mamasox - Come Together: She didn't need the band backing her up on this one - too much stuff going on. Would have been better with her, the digeridoo guy, and some bongos. Good solid performance, but I don't think she was good in the way that Casey was good this week, though.

Tim - All My Loving: Ahhh - his intro package was sooo cute!! Randy was echoing Kara's smarmy condesencion from last week - but everyone else seemed to give credit where credit was due. We both thought that was great - I really love the tone of his voice. Had a fun and current vibe! He has a certain appeal in this competition - not just visually :) K says, contrasted with Andrew, his song choice and performance was right on - with the early Lennon-McCartney material.

Casey - Jealous Guy: No words... goosebumps here! That was beautiful! LOVED it! Best of the night - no doubt!

Siobahn - Across the Universe: Exactly what she needed to do this week - a softer performance, and reigned the big note back in. Hard not to love this song no matter who sings it. Hated the hair and the outfit though, very distracting.... This was the clearest example of the judges cutting a female contestant a break for a mediocre performance tonight.

Lee - Hey Jude: what was up with the bagpipe thing? I wasn't sure if that worked, but he seemed to happy about it. Not my fave Lee song, but pretty good overall. It is hard to judge a sing-along song, but it would be fun to hear in a concert.

Overall, K says it seemed evident to him that the judges were throwing softballs at the girls to keep them in another week, at the expense of a guy. TPTB are afraid that this is going to become a sausage fest.

Rankings:

Casey
Big Mike
Tim
Katie
Mamasox
Siobahn
Aaron
Lee
SPACE
Andrew

Predictions:
L&K Bottom Three: Aaron, Lee, Andrew Andrew goes home

America's Bottom Three: Katie, Aaron, Andrew Andrew goes home

The Top 9 - Money can't buy him love or save him this time

Opening shot...Redhead in the audience (I've already forgotten her name)....oh..yeah. Lacey.

Idol makeovers look good. I love what they did to Tim's hair. And Casey looks hot as always.

Lennon/McCartney -

First up...Aaron- Long and Winding Road. His upper register is not his strength. Thus, it started out really weak. He's a cute kid. But this performance was jus't....blah. Nothing bad, but just kinda boring and bland. (BTW...he must be about 5'3, considering Ryan is either 5'5" or 5'6")...

Katie - "Let it be". All I can say is Girl....let it be. She did nothing with the song. She looks cute though. but she's definitely overstayed her welcome.
Randy? Her best performance ever? Ellen? Amazing? Kara? Great vocal and you never sounded better? Simon - You got it right. Wow....I'm definitely in a different camp than the judges. I found it boring and meaningless.

Andrew Garcia - Can't buy me love - I HATE what they did with his hair. He looks like PAT from Saturday night live. He's put a little Rockabilly twiston it. I don't really care for the version. Andrew is on his last legs. He seemed to have fun, but it was just ok.

Michael Lynche - Eleanor Rigby. So Far...this is horrible. This is all the annoying Mike..without the generally good vocals. At the nd...it got better, but not enough to save it. This was definitely his worst performnce to date. Randy is on drugs...Ellen as well. Kara? Fire? These judges are wacko tonight. Simon - Didn't love it. OK...he's just annoying. He thinks he could do that on the radio? Mike's in for a rude awakening.

Crystal Bowersox - MamaSox. Love the nickname. Come Together. This is the perfect song for her. I like the understated way she is doing this song. I'm trying to decide: Is Crystal really good because she IS really good OR Is she good because everybody else this year is so bad (save for a couple)? That Judges finally got it right. What is the Digerdoo? I have to say that Ernie on the Digerdoo was better than Big Mike tonight.

Tim Urban - All my Lovin. He looks great and his vocals are good. Not super exciting. But one of the few solid performances of the night. THAT was something that I could hear on the radio today.
Randy - so condescending...especially when praising Michael and Katie. Simon was right...judging not on Randy's "Tim standard", it was a good performance.

Casey James - Jealous Guy - I loved this. I loved how it was so stripped down that you really got to hear the quality of his voice and see the "vulnerability".
Simon says "Best performance of the night so far" - I agree. He looks HUGE next to Ryan.

Siobhan - Across the Universe - Starts off horrible. What is that dress...the makeup...? This arrangement is GOD AWFUL. Talk about a pretentious and cheesily dramatic performance. She actually made Big Mike sound good. I am shocked by how bad this was. (I can't believe the judges this year - The are all over DIDI in weeks past for being overly dramatic...and they give Cinnabon a pass on this? They are all so inconsistent this year).

Lee - "Hey Jude" - I don't like the "Cleaned up" look they gave. He looks more confident tonight, but his vocals are not as good as in the past weeks. What was with the bagpipes? Ths is all getting a little cheesy?
I've been defending the show all year from people saying "Its jumped the shark"...but now I myself am starting to think that it may have "jumped the shark".

Best to the Worst:


Casey
Crystal
Tim
Lee
Aaron
Katie
Andrew
Michael
Siobhan

So...Rubbertoe's Bottom 3: Andrew, Michael and Cinnabon
But America's will be very different.

America's bottom 3 will be: Andrew, Aaron and Katie
Going Home?: Andrew

The Top 9: A Guaranteed Siobhan vs. Crystal finale . . . Not if Casey, Lee, and who'd a thunk it, Katie have anything to say about it!

Here's Ryan in the central nervous system of the show, the judges, and our Top 9 . . . THIS is AMERican Idol!

Here are our Top 9 . . . and for once, Katie isn't dead center. Our theme tonight is . . . the Lennon/McCartney songbook. Now, this could be wonderful or it could bring loads of horror . . . recall Season 7 when we had back to back weeks of the Lennon/McCartney songbook . . . Week 1 was amazing and Week 2 sucked ass.

Sir Paul sent the Idols some love.

1. Aaron Kelly - If Aaron is smart he will choose one of the more simple love songs . . . his nickname is Yoda . . . He's singing "The Long and Winding Road" . . . hmmmm . . . I think this could be a good choice for him . . . I think he sounds pretty good, as per usual, he is much better in his upper register. His country twang adds a different sound to the song, and the end note is stellar. Overall, it was a little better than okay for me. Randy likes his voice, but didn't like the arrangement. Ellen thought it was a big song to take on. Kara thinks he still hasn't found a great performance. Simon called him sweetie . . . I love that. He thought it was old fashioned and boring.

2. Katie Stevens - Ok, she's showing a little personality in her interview . . . she's singing "Let it Be" which is dangerous since she is walking in the footsteps of Kris Allen's performance earlier in the season. Nice start . . . Who'd a thunk it . . . I thought that was down right beautiful. I'm quite impressed with week with Ms. Stevens. Randy thought it was her best performance ever. Ellen thought she changed it just enough to make it her own. Kara thinks she is blossoming on stage. Simon thinks she got it right tonight and that she leaned more country . . . I agree with Simon.

3. Andrew Garcia - Andrew is Big Mike's main P.I.C. . . . He's singing "Can't Buy Me Love" . . . this has the potential to be quite cheesetastic . . . 1. What is he wearing . . . 2. NO! . . . 3. NO! NO! NO! . . . don't get me wrong, his voice sounds fine, but it just sounds cheesy . . . and was that a Gokey screech I just heard? Definitely a yikes for me. . . Randy thought it was solid, but a little corny. Ellen thought it was a lot of fun and she loved it. Kara thought he could have done more with his interpretation. Simon thought the band overpowered the performance.

4. Big Mike - He's singing Eleanor Rigby . . . Hmmmmm . . . I'll have to see this one to figure it out . . . This is not thrilling me . . . Of all the songs in this songbook, why oh why did he choose this one. His voice is good, particularly in the upper register, but it just had a weird vibe to me. I didn't get it. Randy thought the parts that worked, worked well. Ellen thinks he can do anything. Kara thought it was FIRE! Simon didn't love it as much as the other three because he thought it sounded too much like a musical. I'm not as much on the Big Mike train as the rest of them, but I think his voice sounded good. Big Mike needs to be careful about being too cocky . . . it doesn't read well on the screen.

5. Crystal Bowersox - MamaSox . . . I like it . . . She's singing "Come Together" because "it has a fun groove" . . . I love Crystal . . . I love Crystal . . . I love Crystal . . . I feel better now. She's bringin the funk even with the cold . . . Randy thinks it was another solid performance. Ellen is running out of ways to tell her how great she is . . . Kara thinks it's one of her favorite performances of Crystal's. Simon thinks that is a performance he could hear on the radio.

6. Tim Urban - Tim wants to sing with a smile, so he's singin "All My Lovin" . . . is it my imagination or has this boy's voice gotten better . . . still not the strongest, but he's hittin the notes quite nicely. His performance is a little boring, but his voice sounds good . . . I'm sayin he was better than at least 2 other contestants tonight. Let the bloodbath begin . . . Randy thougt it was a much better performance. Ellen thought it was the perfect song choice for him. Kara thinks he's at his best when he has a guitar. Simon thought he did really well tonight with that song.

7. Casey James - oh yes, my baby, is a little playboy . . . tonight he's singin "Jealous Guy" . . . He looks really good tonight. I thought that was just plain wonderful . . . solid as usual, but also with some nice emotion. Randy likes the whole sensitive vibe, and thinks he took a leap. Ellen believed him, and thougt it was his best performance to date. Kara thought he showed a vulnerability, and it was tasteful. Simon thought it was the best performance of the night . . . agreed.

8. Siobhan Magnus - The Idols think she is amazingly, unique. She's singing "Across the Universe". I think her voice sounds absolutely beautiful . . . I have always thought the song was odd, and I think this arrangement was equally odd. However, I think her voice was just beautiful. Randy thinks she screams artist more than anyone else. Ellen likes that she marches to the beat of her own drummer. Kara thought from a singing perspective it was good, but thought it was very restrained and polite. Simon thinks it was much stronger this week.

9. Lee DeWyze - He's the resident worry wart . . . Ok, the jokes about Lee and Andrew getting married and having little Danny Gokey babies cracks me up . . . He's singin "Hey Jude" . . . whoops, his pitch problems have reappeared. I'm not sure about this song choice . . . he's a little all over the place vocally. It was a little small bar-ish . . . but I still heart him. Randy thought it was another hot one. Ellen thought he was more confident tonight. Kara thinks he feels better tonight, and can hear him on the radio. Simon thought it looked like the bagpipe player turned up on the wrong show.

A much, much better night on Idol tonight. For me, there was a clear line between the good and the not so good . . . here are my rankings . . .

1.Casey
(space)
2. Crystal
(with a slight edge over),
3.Katie, (with a slight edge over),
4.Siobhan,
5.Lee
(Huge Space),
6.Tim,
7.Big Mike,
8.Aaron,
9.Andrew,

Back later with predictions . . .

Carrie Underwood On Idol Gives Back

Just saw a link from TMZ that Carrie would appear on the April 21st show, known affectionately by VoteForTheWorst as "Idol Gives Head". I was wondering why we haven't been hearing about IGB (much), they usually promote the bejeezus out of it every week leading up to it. Maybe that's all about to begin...

-- K

Anyone else think...

Hey guys, a few things are bugging me this season, and I thought I'd throw them out to the blog to see if any resonated. I keep meaning to bring them up, but always forget in light of all the train wrecks and teflon, and -gasp- good singers.

First, wtf is up with Ryan this season? He's acting kind of demented, what with his weird detached delivery & mechanical sentiment towards the contestants (going so far as to goad poor Didi to reveal something personal she obviously did NOT want to discuss) to his creepy badgering of Simon (who is CLEARLY over it, and even turned to Kara last night and said "what's the matter with him?"). And don't forget the Twitter blunder where Ryan FORGOT the West Coast hadn't learned the results last week. There are too many more odd moments to mention here. Is he stretched too thin?

Second, what's up with all the AutoTune? Seriously, EVERY group number is now AutoTuned, and 95% of all Guest Star performances are, as well. I expected Diddy, but Usher? Gotta give Ruben props for keeping it real. Am I some dinosaur who remembers the good old days when people had to actually SING, for better or worse, on a live TV show? Damn, this makes lip-syncing look better, at least the sound wouldn't appear to emanate from some alien robot approximating a human voice. (Ever hear of the Uncanny Valley Effect?) The Bud Light Super Bowl T Pain commercial really makes great fun of this over-saturation.

Finally, how can the # 1 show on TV have such horrible production value? Every week you are guaranteed to see: a)amateurish editing, to poorly aimed cameras, b) bad sound, from the performances or judge's mikes (sounds like they're holding rubber mallets) or c) this season's oft-seen screw-up, crew members running around in the shot. d) Can they get the frickin show to END on time? Ryan literally engineered a SECOND round of criticism (from all 4 judges) for Siobhan Tuesday; how is that fair, for one, and how did he expect to make up the time? Week after week, season after season they can't get it right.

Any thoughts?

-- K

Idol Points Game: The Top 10 Edition

Here's an update from last week:

1. J: 8 points
2. Rubbertoe: 7 points
3. Dr.L&K: 6 points

Here's what happened this week.

J: 2 out of three of the bottom 3 correct (Didi and Tim), and correct prediction of elimination (Didi) = 3 points

Rubbertoe: 3 out of bottom 3 correct (Didi, Katie, and Tim) YAY! = 3 points

Dr.L&K: 2 out of bottom 3 correct (Katie and Tim) = 2 points

Nobody's original #10 pick was correct :(


Here are the updated standings:

1. J: 11 points
2. Rubbertoe: 10 points
3. Dr. L&K: 8 points

Top 10: J's Rankings

Crystal,
Lee
(Space),
Big Mike,
Casey,
Andrew,
Didi,
(Huge Space),
Katie,
Tim,
Siobhan,

My Bottom Three: Katie, Tim, Siobhan
America's Bottom Three: Didi, Tim, Siobhan

Should go home: Tim
Will go home: Didi (and it kills me to say that).

Usher out the Teflon Tim

Here's my take on the Top 10
Best of the night to the worst:

The top 3 were very close

1. Casey - True, the song did not really show of his range. However, it was the first performance by anyone this year that actually looked like a star performance.
Casey was in his element
2. Lee - Loved how he really seemed to respond to Simon's comments about reviewing this performance and looking back and saying that this is the night that changed his life. Lee was awesome tonight. He looked comfortable and for the first time looked like a serious contender rather than just a guy that had a better voice than most of the contestants.
3. Crystal - solid as always. She looked very uncomfortable playing the piano. It seemed very unnatural and I think it hurt her at the beginning of the song.
(SMALL SPACE)
4. Andrew - OK, who didn't know that he was going to do an acoustic version of a pop song? I think everyone saw this performance coming...and that is what he is going to do from here on out until he is voted off in a couple of weeks. He was excellent though. Close to the top 3 but not really in the same league.
(SPACE)
5. Big Mike - Consistent. Good voice...but just not much more to say. He sings on key. That's about it.
(SMALL SPACE)
6. Aaron - Good voice, but again, Zero stage presence.
SPACE
7. Didi - Didi...man....Simon has it completely right, what has happened to you. Do you have any idea who you are? The performance was completely staged, completely unnatural and just not good. The Didi rollercoaster continues...she had so much potential, but like Paige before her, she doesn't have a clue who she wants to be.
8. Katie - Don't see why the Judges were pimping her. She had as much stage presence as a turnip and her vocals were just ok. She looked old, not contemporary...to me she looked like the female character from Disney's Hercules. I hated everything about her performance tonight...but then again...I have never been a fan.
9. Siobhan - or Cinnabon as she is now called amongst many of us who cannot pronounce her name. What a train wreck tonight. If she sang two notes of the song on key that would be one more than I heard. And she looked like a flashdance reject.
Don't they have style consultants at this stage of the show? I was also glad to hear Simon tell her that the screech is getting old.
10. Tim - Serious? Anita Baker? Seriously? C'mon dude. Seriously, Anita Baker?
Wow...I did say a week ago to some friends that if the guy has an IQ over 80, then there is no god. I mean a guy with his body and looks with an IQ too? Not possible.
His song choice proved it this week. Seriously Dude....Anita friggin Baker? It was horrendous. I did love his smile and laughs during the judges comments though. and I admit that I did vote for him, just to try to keep him on the show.

Rubbertoes Bottom 3: Tim, Katie and Cinnabon
America's Bottom 3: This is TOUGH.

IT is going to be an interesting show tonight because we are going to see how strong people's voting bases are.
I suspect that Cinnabon won't be in the bottom 3 because I think a lot of people like her.
Katie may skate the bottom 3 as well based on the young girl votes.
Could Andrew be in the bottom 3? He's been there before and despite his good performance tonight, people may be over him...and then there is Aaron - Do the young voters vote in droves for him? He hasn't been in the bottom 3 yet.
Tim - Will definitely be in the bottom 3, however, the bigger question will be whether his good looks and charm can carry him on through another week - aka Teflon Tim.
I think America's bottom 3 will be Tim, Katie and Didi
I think there is a good chance that Didi could go home tonight, but ultimately, I think Tim's luck has run out, so I am going with Idol saying goodbye to Teflon Tim.

BTW...I keep forgetting about my second favorite TV show.......Idol Tonight. Its on tonight...TV Guidechannel, 1 hour before Idol....I've got to remember to watch it tonight!!!!!

Rubbertoe.....out!

House of Usher!

Siobhan - Through the Fire - pitchy when she was reaching for the high notes...K wondered about song choice, but if she was going to do - she should have conformed her style to the song - which she didn't do and it fell apart. Really wishing they would reign her in on the screaming.

Casey - Hold On I'm Coming - Perfect song for him! He seemed comfortable and like he was having fun - enjoyable performance :) Loved the blues vibe for him.

Big Mike - Ready for Love - special pimp lighting! really, really good...perfect choice for him, smooth, heartfelt, sensitive - loved the guitar!

DiDi - What becomes of the Broken Hearted - sounded really off key to me. A forced performance - just moving from note to note. Not a good song choice for her at all.

Tim - Sweet Love - really love the tone of his voice - I know he still needs to work on his performance, just doesn't come easy for him to do a Constantine-eye-vibe thing - but it was pretty good. He is such a good natured guy

Andrew - Forever - I don't know this song, but I really like this arrangement! I think he has finally found his way again. He hasn't seemed relaxed in weeks - this seemed to take him there.

Katie - Chain of Fools - Good performance - but didn't really have any soulfulness or edge to it. I think it has to be the age factor, because she really has the voice to pull this off.

Lee - Treat Her Like a Lady - (note to Idol stylists - PLEEASE help him find some new clothes) Fantastic! LOVED the modern arrangement of this song!! Lee - where have you been dude, - this was super :) He was having fun and it was so enjoyable!

Crystal - Midnight Train to Georgia - LOVED it!! the piano was really a nice touch. Love that song - and it fit her so well. She really knows how to connect with the song - and share that with us.

Aaron - Ain't No Sunshine - they are just transforming him week by week - a' la Clay Aiken (clothes, hair, brows). Hard for him to follow Lee and Crystal.... I do hate for him - that so many other people have done this song over the years..and his version was sort of what-ev.

Two quick comments: the makeup was bad tonight...not sure what was happening there - as it has been exceptional these season with HD-ready looks for everyone. On a positive: Can I just say what a really good mentor Usher has been?! I love it when the mentors try to give them good feedback.

Rankings

Lee
Crystal
Big Mike
Casey
SPACE
Andrew
Katie
Tim
Aaron
Siobhan
DiDi

America's bottom three: Andrew, Katie, Tim Tim goes home

L&K's bottom three: Aaron, Siobhan, DiDi Who should go home: Aaron

The Top 10: On the Midnight Train to Treatin Her Like A Lady!

The Top 10 take on the world of R&B with the help of Usher . . . who's got the voice make ya booty go SMACK.

THIS is AMERican Idol!

And for the third week in a row, Katie Stevens is front and center . . .

Did La Seacrest just say Usher had "swagger"?

1. Siobhan Magnus - She's "wicked nervous" . . . She's singing Chaka Kahn's "Through the Fire" . . . which has a big screeching note at the end. Please, girl . . . Please . . . don't do it. Her low register is good, but her upper register is pitchy. This is not her strongest performance . . . a little all over the place. Nice ending note, but pretty mediocre from my perspective. Randy thought it was pitchy, but loves her. Ellen agrees with Randy. Kara also agrees and thinks she got a little nervous. Simon thinks it sounded like she had run a marathon and she was out of breath. . . and thank you for saying that he's getting bored with the screaming at the end.

2. Casey "My Baby" James - Singing "Hold On I'm Comin" . . . never been performed on the Idol stage . . . Just Casey doin his thing . . . the one difference is that this song had a little more range, and he handled it nicely . . . Nicely done, sweet baby. Randy thinks it was another hot night for him. Ellen loved the vocals, but thinks it was a little generic. Kara thinks he has more range than he is showing. Simon thinks it was his strongest performance.

3. Big Mike - Stop with the weird movements. . . He's singing "Ready for Love" . . . he's bringin back the guitar . . . This is a much more subtle performance, and I am a big fan. I am believing him tonight. His voice has a lovely tone, and he's not all over the place. Very, very nice indeed. Randy liked the guitar, and thinks he is in the zone. Ellen thought it was beautiful. Kara had never heard the song, but thinks he did a beautiful job. Simon thinks this is the first time since the live shows that e can take him seriously as an artist.

4. Didi Benami - She's singing "What becomes of the broken hearted" . . . She got a little emotional during her Usher session . . . She looks stunning . . . A few little pitchy problems, but overall she sounds good. The second half of the song soared . . . the second half of the song was flat out wonderful. Randy thought the performance was flat. Ellen thought it was dramatic, and not her best performance. Kara thought it was overdone, and thinks she lost her way. Simon thought it was old-fashioned and over the top. They don't like Didi . . . I'm not sure why. I thought it was kind of lovely.

5. Tim Urban - I'm sorry . . . did they just say that Mr. Urban is taking on Anita Baker? Tim looks gooooooooooooooood tonight . . . if only is voice matched his looks. He's singing "Sweet Love" . . . He's hitting all the right notes, but I don't believe that he's ever been in love. Nice vocal . . . just don't believe him. Randy thought it was mostly in tune, but had no swag. Ellen doesn't know why he chose the song. Kara thought it was a mixture of Broadway and Vegas. Simon thinks he's laughing because it doesn't make any difference what the judges say. He ends on a positive note by taking on the judges in a light hearted way.

6. Andrew Garcia - he's singing Chris Brown, "Forever" . . . seriously dude, I'm not sure if you should be singing a Chris Brown song . . . Oh look, Katherine McPhee's "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree's" beatboxer is back. I wish he would pull his legs down from the stool. He sounds better than he has in the past few weeks. . . much better, a wee boring, but better. Randy thinks Andrew is back, and the outfit is mad dope. Ellen thought it was an amazingly strong performance. Kara thought it was one giant leap in the right direction. Simon thought it was miles better, but he is boring.

7. Katie Stevens - is taking on Aretha Franklin . . . Oh Sweet Baby Buddah . . . BTW, I like the backstage reactions . . . She's singing "Chain of Fools" . . . this could be disasterous . . . What is she wearing . . . I'll give her this . . . she is showing a lot more stage presence and energy tonight . . . her vocals aren't always hitting the point, but I see some growth in her. That being said, she's still got some issues to work through. Randy thought it was one of the best vocal performances of the night. Ellen thought the vocals were great, but she wishes the song had been a bit more current. Kara thinks R&B pop is where she belongs, but it needs to be more young and commercial. Simon thinks Randy's comparison to Christina is crazy . . . he thought it was pretty good vocally, but thought she was robotic.

8. Lee DeWyze - This should be his safe spot. Dear Lee, why are you wearing the same outfit every week. He's singing "Treat Her Like A Lady". Lee is a little on fire tonight . . . this is really, really, good. He's fixing those pitch problems and starting to own the song . . . NICE. Randy thought it was unbelievable. Ellen thought it was the best performance of the night. Kara thought it was amazing. Simon thinks this is the night his life may have changed forever.

9. Crystal Bowersox - She's playin the piano with "Midnight Train to Georgia". A-MAZ-ING ... simply brilliant . . . there are no other words. Randy thinks she did the song proud. Ellen thinks she is in it to win it. Kara can't wait to see what she does next. Simon thinks she had moments of brilliance, but doesn't want her to stray to far from herself.

10. Aaron Kelly - He's singing "Ain't No Sunshine" . . . Does anyone else remember Kris Allen rippin this song to shreds last year? All of the notes are there . . . but I don't believe him, and am a bit bored. Randy thought it started rough, and thought it was just aight. Ellen thought it was good. Kara liked it but didn't love it. Simon thought he wasn't as good as last week.

And we're through another week. This week was MUCH better than last week. I'm gonna hold off on my rankings . . . cuz I don't think there is anyway America will send my bottom three to the bottom three . . .

Back later with some rankings.

Idolatry's Review of the Top 11: "The Bowersox Chant is in Full Affect"

As per usual, our buds over at E! have put out another stellar version of Idolatry for the Top 11 show. They are lovin some Bowersox . . . my favorite moment is when one says that they have to "say something postive about Katie Stevens" and the other simply says, "um, no" . . . LOVE IT! Click the link to watch all three parts

A Little Photoshop Magic for J & RT

When I saw the pics of Tim I thought I saw an uncanny resemblance to another famous shirtless dude, what do you think?

-- K

'Idolatry': Lacey Brown on 'Landslide' woes, clashing outfits, and Miley Cyrus as mentor

'Idolatry': Lacey Brown on 'Landslide' woes, clashing outfits, and Miley Cyrus as mentor

Interesting interview, lots of insider POV on the proceedings from the latest redheaded Idol stepchild.

-- K

This ones for J

Got this image off of votefortheworst.com

I gotta say....if I can see more of this...I'm voting for Tim

Idol Points Game: The Top 11 Edition

Hello all,

I was at a student function tonight and was apprised of Idol's results via text . . . Paige Miles is headed out, and she appeared in all of our bottom 3's!

To update the game, here were last week's standings:

1. Rubbertoe: 5 points
2. Dr.L&K: 4 points
3. J: 3 points

This week's points

Rubbertoe: Two of the three bottom three correct (Katie & Paige) = 2 points
Dr.L&K: Two of the three bottom three correct (Paige & Tim) = 2 points
J: Two of the three bottom three correct (Paige & Tim), Eliminated correct, and correct original prediction of #11 = 5 points. . . . I had a lucky week :)

Updated totals:

1. J: 8 points
2. Rubbertoe: 7 points
3. Dr.L&K: 6 points

We continue to have a nailbiter of a competition here, y'all.

BTW, did Ryan happen to mention what the theme of our touring Top 10 is?

See y'all!

Heard it thru the grapeVYNE...

Top 11 Night

Lee - The Letter - more energetic than past performances. Seemed like a good song for his vocal range. Not sure that the song choice was current enough to connect with the voters in this critical week.

Paige - Against all Odds - sounds really shaky and nervous tonight. a timid performance in the beginning, having trouble finding the key, oops, completely lost it! Oh this is SO not good....she should be really worried! Painful.

Tim - Crazy Lil Thing Called Love - trying to mix it up a bit - look at him performing! Sounds pretty good, seems like he is stepping it up a bit in the energy department. song was okay - Ellen said corny..., but seems like he targeted his voting demographic.

Aaron - I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing - he is turning into ballad-boy. I'm not up on the country stuff, but is this a country artist version of this song? good performance - not as good (for me) as Angie last week. You wouldn't think he could connect with these adult songs, but he seems to do it.

Crystal - Bobbie McGee - you can tell that she really loves to sing and perform - I LOVE this song and thought she did a great job! Would buy it now. That rug really ties the room together...

Big Mike - When a Man Loves a Woman - liked his little meeting with Miley - sweet! Loving this performance from him tonight - great version of the song, and he seems genuine in his approach - which I haven't seen as much. Yay! No bouncing around the stage! K - says he hasn't been on the Big Mike train,

Andrew - Heard it through the Grapevine - doing the California Raisins moves...LOL! Heard it thru the grapeVYNE... those lyrics were so weirdly punctuated. Miley looks quite bored, and they show her several times... Not a whole lot to say about that one. Just about to lose my MYND.

Have to ask at this point - what is with all the OLDER songs tonight?? Billboard Top 100?? I know we discuss it here on the blog and the judges discuss it, but really - there must be some sort of elusive secret to song choice that most of the contestants don't seem to get.

Katie - Fergie song - finally, a current song! not sure that she nails it, but it is okay- maybe a little sharp/flat throughout. Way off key at the end....Did what she needed to do to reach the teen voters, I think.

Casey (J's baby) - The Power of Love - back to the 80's - umm.. what happened to using the stage? I was expecting him to go crazy out there with the Huey Lewis song...It started out like it might be really fun, and I was hoping for more. Still he sounded great!

DiDi - You're no Good- did Ryan introduce her as DiDi Bonini?? Not really digging it..she seemed like she was irritated rather than connecting with the song. Maybe a bit repetitive on the arrangement? And PLEASE Idol contestants - don't pick a song that talks about 'going home, or how things aren't good', etc.

Siobhan - Superstition - Love her, but.... Not a fan of this tonight! I know, shocked right? But, on a couple of points - it was a bit reserved for me, like the shoes were too tight and she isn't comfortable & Didn't enjoy the power note at the end - didn't think it fit. In danger of that becoming overdone.

Rankings -

Crystal
Big Mike
BIG SPACE
Siobhan
Casey
Lee
DiDi
Katie
Tim
HUGE SPACE
Andrew
Paige

Our bottom three: Tim, Andrew, Paige

America's bottom three: Tim, Andrew, Paige

Should go home: Paige, but WILL go home: Andrew

Billboard Top hits? Maybe 1 or 2

First up - Lee. The first three judges loved it. Simon said it was not "recordable". I agree 100% with Simon. I hate the arrangement. His voice sounded good and he looked better on stage that ever before...but the song would never sell on the charts today..and isn't that the point of Billboard #1's week?

Paige - Ok...I'm biased because I can't stand Phil Collins, but this is one of his better songs. She sounds horrendous at the beginning. Her lower register is horrible. Once it gets to the higher register she is much better...but this is a complete and utter train wreck. I think Paige is going home after this mess.
This was one of the worst performances on Idol ever.

Tim Urban - Crazy little thing called love. He looks HOT. He doesn't have the best voice in the competition, but his performance was fun without being cheesy (take note big Mike)....What is up with the judges...I disagree 100% with them. Kara's criticism was particularly off base, she said, "don't act like you've made it"...yet Idols have done that for years and NEVER been criticized for it. Boo....judges Boo.

Aaron - Has Laryngitis and tonsilitis...He looks incredibly cute. Very charming with his "crush" on Miley. He's got a really good voice, what he is lacking is the stage presence. I mean...David Archuletta was young, but he commanded the stage. Aaron doesn't have that. But he was good. Best of the night so far.

Crystal - Of course she is doing Janis...and she is doing probably one of my favorite songs of all time. So far...I'm not feeling it. I like Crystal, but all this performance showed me is that she is no Janis. Maybe not a far comparison, but when you take on a legend and you don't live up to it, it is going to pale in comparison. The crowd loved it...what about the judges? They loved it to. I'm in the minority here.

Big Mike - When a man loves a woman. First of all, his cocky attitude has got to go. the best thing that could happen to him would be or him to be in the bottom 3. That would knock him for a loop and he might actually become decent to watch. He's got a great voice, but is performance takes away from it. Now Kara SHOULD give him the criticism that she gave Tim. Somehow I doubt that she will. At least she did say "overindulgent".


Andrew - Heard it through the grapevine. Ok...I am going to say it. This guy cannot really sing. He can sing a couple songs, and that has gotten him throgh. But he has no range snd this performance, he was talking it more than he was singing it. This one ranks up there with Paige for me. He's got a great attitude. Kara was right on "He's chasing the moment". Did Simon really say he "sucked"? Yes..."....the soul out of the song".....

Katie -Pitchy....She's flat in the beginning. She's still flat. Ew....this is another bad bad performance. Ranks up there with Page and Andrew.
Is Ellen on crack? Her best performance so far?

Casey - Power of Love - He's such a fan....of Mylie's Dad....
Best overall package of the night. Voice is good and he has stage presence.

Didi - Decent peformance. I wasn't leaping to my feet. I like her voice, but there wasn't much here to showcase it.

Siobhan - It was ok...but again. Nothing great and just more of the same she hasdone before.


Rankings:

Casey
Aaron
Crystal
Siobhan
Lee
Didi
Big Mike
Tim
Katie
Paige
Andrew




Casey, Aaron and Crystal were far and away the best 3 of the night
The worst 3 were obvious....Katie, Paige and Andrew

Who should go home - Paige
Who will go home - Andrew

Top 11: J's rankings

Here are my rankings


1. Crystal
(Space)
2. Casey
3. Didi
(Space)
4. Siobhan
5. Lee
(Space)
6. Big Mike,
(MASSIVE SPACE)
7. Katie(tie) Aaron
(Big space)
9. Andrew
10. Tim
11. Paige


My Bottom Three: Andrew, Tim, Paige
America's Bottom Three: Andrew, Tim, Paige

Going Home: Paige

I'm torn here. I think that any of these three could go home, but I kind of think that Paige, being in the dreaded 2 spot, and performing quite badly, puts her out of the Idol tour.

The Top 11: Bobby McGee and the Cheesetastics

Tonight, the Top 11 will take on Billboard's #1's . . . and THIS is AMERican Idol!

And here come the judges . . . more flirtatious play between Kara and Simon . . .

Does anyone else miss Ryan in his t-shirts and jeans?

It's a big night because the Top 10 make the tour.... they're pimping the voting which goes along with my idea that their voting totals are seriously down this year.

Why is Kara wearing a blue sheet?

Cue the gay banter between Ryan and Simon . . .

And here are our Top 11 . . . once again, Katie is front and center . . . interesting.

I believe both Andrew and Lee are wearing almost the exact same outfit from last week.

And here comes the Miley . . . however, she is not rockin kicks . . .

Miley is rambling . . . but, I must say she is very personable. . .

1. Lee DeWyze - I didn't hear what he was singing . . . she thinks he is too reserved . . . he's singing "The Letter" and he is guitarless . . . and he's brought the band down with him. That leg is going to town again. He sounds really good . . . he's lost a lot of the pitchiness . . . and he's connecting to the song a little better . . . maybe the Miley injection helped. Very good job. Randy likes the bluesy version of the song and thinks he knocked it out of the park. Ellen's favorite pen is back. Kara thinks he raised the bar. Simon is surprised he chose the song and thought it was corny.

2. Paige Miles - Oh Lord, she's singing Phil Collins . . . Sweet, baby, Buddah, please don't let her sing "Against All Odds" . . . Paige is very personable. It is Against All Odds . . . ugh . . . Miley nailed her for being pitchy . . . This is rough . . . she's trying to tone it down a bit, and her pitch is all over the place. She's playing with the song a bit, and she excels when she hits the high notes, but man, she is way off key at times. That was rough. I'm very worried for her. Randy said yo man you wow, and thought it was terrible. Ellen says it's positive that she didn't fall down and she looks great. Kara thought it was possibly the worst vocal of the season. Simon thought it was all over the place.

3. Tim Urban - He's doing Queen . . . seriously?! He's doing "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" . . . he sounded good in warm up. This could be really good or this could be cheesetastic. . . He's on pitch and he's moving around the stage . . . still not the strongest voice, particularly in his lower register, and he's a little overshadowed by the band, but, again, he's on pitch. Definitely cheesetastic, but, again, on pitch. Randy thinks the vocals were boring, but the slide was dope. Ellen thinks he has a lot of fans, but it felt like it was an audition for High School Musical. Kara thinks Ellen hit the nail on the head. Simon thinks the moving around distracted from the song, but it was pointless and silly. He's in trouble, but I think his likeability factor will keep him in.

4. Aaron Kelly - He's picked up a little laryngitis and tonsilitis. Yikes! He looks very cute tonight . . . he's got a wee crush on Miley. He's going to sing Aerosmith's "I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing" . . . I'm not sure that this song is in his range . . . particularly if he's sick. He is sweating like Whitney in concert. He's doing the country version of this song, and that is smart, but the song is still a little too big for him . . . big notes are pitchy . . . however, considering he is sick, it wasn't bad . . . not great, but not bad. Randy thought it was a little pitchy, but he's a fan. Ellen thought it was a perfect song choice for him. Kara thought it was the best song choice of the night, and thinks he is consistent. Simon thought it was brave, but thinks he's making himself a little old fashioned.

5. Crystal Bowersox - How much must she loathe being mentored by freakin Miley Cyrus . . . I wish she would do a Miley song, and give it the Crystal treatment. She's doing Bobby McGee . . . LOVE IT! She's getting Miley to sign her guitar. She looks lovely tonight. She's just got "it" . . . who else can see her on the Lillith Fair tour right now . . . Rock out, girl! In-freakin-credible. Randy thinks she is a star. Ellen is beaming and thinks it is wonderful, but wants her to break down the barrier between her and the audience. Kara felt like she gave more tonight. Simon wouldn't change anything, and thinks her version was as good as Pink's version. I love that she is sitting on the carpet with Ryan. And, I LOVE that she keeps saying she has "big plans for next week".

6. Big Mike - He's singing, "When A Man Loves A Woman" . . . he stared the Miley down. As is par for the course tonight, this could be good or a cheesy hot mess. He sounds great. I think he can't help but kind of have a cheesy edge . . . I think it's just a part of him. The falsetto at the end was really quite good. Overall a very, very solid performance. Randy didn't think it was his best vocal, but thinks he knows who he is. Ellen thought it was a safe choice, but has a great tone. Kara thought it was boring. Simon kind of agrees with Kara, and thought it was a little much.

7. Andrew Garcia - He's singing "Heard it Through the Grapevine" . . . he stumbled on the lyrics and has put his guitar down. . . Oh Lord, he needs to stop with the hand motions . . . he is coming off way cheesy. He hasn't really changed the song at all, and has stayed in a safe vocal range. He is on pitch. . . CHEESE! He sounds better than past weeks, but I'm really not loving this performance. Randy didn't think it was good. Ellen loves him, but didn't think it was great. Kara thinks that chasing the "Straight Up" moment is messing with his head. Simon thinks that he SUCKED the soul out of that song.

8. Katie Stevens - She's singing Fergie's "Big Girls Don't Cry" GOOD song choice . . . it's current, and could really suit her voice well. Each week she looks more and more like the McPhee . . . her lower register is better tonight, but her upper register is a wee bit nasal . . . I'm glad she got away from the mic stand . . . I'm still not convinced by her voice that she is anything other than a middle of the packer . . . but, overall, this was a better performance for her. Randy thought it was pitchy, but she listened and became younger. Ellen thought it was her best performance so far. Kara thinks that pop with R&B leanings is her vibe, but she has mad pitch issues. Simon is still not convinced, but thinks she was better this week.

9. Casey "My Baby" James - Look at all that cuteness :) He's singing the "Power of Love" by Huey Lewis and the News . . . I'm unsure . . . the boy has mad vocal skillz . . . never even the hint of a pitch problem . . . the song choice is a little boring, and he's not moving at all, but I'm convinced he can be a recording artist. Randy wasn't a fan of the song choice, but thinks he did it well. Ellen thought it was the best vocal of the night. Kara thinks he's ready to make an album. Simon thought it sounded like an 80's cover band.

10. Didi Benami - She's singing "You're No Good" . . . I LOVE this song. I love that she's playin with the cellist. I think she sounds great, and each week I believe more and more that she is a contender. BTW, she looks AMAZING. LOVED IT, LOVED IT, LOVED IT. Randy loved the idea of it, but thought it was pitchy. Ellen didn't get the song choice. Kara felt like she was playing a character and being dramatic. Simon thought it was the bad part of a musical. Was I hearing something different? I don't get it. I really loved the performance. They kinda pimped Aaron and Katie and then gave those comments to Didi . . . I'm not connecting with the judges.

11. Siobhan Magnus - Now y'all know I have not yet hopped on the Siobhan train . . . I think she is screechy and off key in her lower register, but I try to be fair, so, I'm going into her Stevie with an open mind. She's singing "Superstition" . . . She looks a little like Lisa Loeb . . . Much better start to the song this week, IMO . . . she is believable on stage and has pulled her voice in tonight . . . but I spoke to soon . . . she is compelled to screechdom . . . ugh . . . overall, I thought the performance was great, but she doesn't have to screech EVERY SINGLE WEEK. Randy thought it was dope. Ellen loved it. Kara praised the screech. Simon thinks the screeching at the end is becoming a little predictable.

Overall, it was a down night. . . . not a great night for our Top 11 . . . Crystal and Casey were by far the best tonight with Didi,Lee, and Siobhan in the runners up position. . . and then the rest . . . for me there is a clear bottom three . . . but, I'll hold off on the official rankings . . . but you can see my initial thoughts at the top.

J OUT!

E!'s Idolatry Wonders Who Can Break Up the Crystal/Siobhan Final Two?

Click the link below to watch E!'s Idolatry review of the Top 12 performances. They really believe that we are headed for a Crystal/Siobhan Final Two . . . but think that Lee and/or Didi could break up the inevitable finale. Also, they call Lacey's outfit a "hot buttered mess" It's a very good review, and make sure you watch all three parts!

E! Online's Idolatry Top 12 Review

VFTW Thread: The Gokey Scream

Anyone who watched season 8 remembers the screech heard round the world . . . AKA Danny Gokey's last note in his top 4 performance of "Dream On" . . . I didn't have the heart to post the entire performance, so, here's the screech.

More Cheesy VFTW Goodness

(sorry for the weird sizing, but at least I got it to play- this is a rare vid!)
John Stevens, Crocodile Rock. This is like, I don't know, karaoke combined with battery acid in your ears. The fact that he looks like one of the Beav's pals singing it makes it even more unbelievable that this is from 2004. He made it to SIXTH place, after incredibly surviving this week. Grannies of the world, unite.

Rubbertoe's VFTW thread: Camile Velasco with "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"

I LOVE the VFTW thread . . . this is one of the single worst performances on the Idol Top 12 stage . . . IMO . . . more to come. :)

Another Classic for Rubbertoe's VFTW Thread

Oh, man, there are so many crazy performances it's hard to remember them all. Kristy Lee Cook was certainly a VFTW standout. But this infamous Chicken Little performance is so bad, you might think someone slipped some mescaline in your latte. It actually makes time expand, to where it seems 4-5 minutes long, so he can squeeze in more warbly bum notes. Will it ever end? Come on, J, I know you have some classic memories of Idols gone Bye Bye to add!

-- K

The Re-Emergence of the Idol Points Game

J reporting from the A.T.L.

I missed most of the results show, but I got the gist... and it inspired me to re-start our Idol points game.

Let's review the rules... We get one point each for the bottom three and one point for the exiting Idol....an additional 2 points will be assigned if our original pick for that week goes home....

The rankings:

1. Rubbertoe - 5 ... He got 2 of the bottom 3... picked Lacey to go home, and originally picked her to be 12th.
2. DrL/K - 4 .... They got 2 of the bottom 3 and picked Lacey 12th.
3. J - 3 .... I got one of the bottom 3, and picked Lacey to go 12th.

I'm going to try and keep this up every week. Congrats, Everybody..,, except Lacey....

Vote for the Worst - Worst AI finalists of all time

Vote for the worst is doing a weekly countdown of the WORST American Idol top 12 contestants of all time:

#12 - Kristy Lee Cook

I don't disagree with this one at all.

Some others that I am hoping will make the cut: Phil Stacey, Josh Gracin, Taylor Hicks.

Add some others.

I'm certain that Sanjaya will make the list, but personally I LOVED Sanjaya...so there.


Here is a link to the article: www.votefortheworst.com/tag/487/american-idol-worst-finalists

I can't get no satisfaction

....but you can't always get what you want!

Seriously...two things became glaringly more and more obvious on the first week of the top 12. First, this years Idol contestants are a lot weaker that in years past and Second, Crystal and Casey are so far ahead of the rest of the lot that there is virtually zero chance anyone else is going to be in the finale.

On to the show RANKING BEST TO WORST:

1. Crystal - No question she was the best of the night. Simon was dead wrong and I expect that tonight he may even admit it after he had a chance to view the show on tape.

2. Casey - Loved his one handed guitar moves. He sounded hot and looked even hotter. This was a perfect week for him. I DO agree with Simon on him though, it was good but he has more in him and can kick it to another level. He'll need to do that if he is going to challenge Crystal.

3. As much as I HATE to admit it...I am going with Siobhan. I didn't like the makeover they gave her, but the range she displayed on this song was incredible. She's definitely got some pipes.

4. Didi - Playing with Fire. She did a very smart thing with the song. She really showed a dark side and her haunting rendition of this song was one of the few that left a lasting impression on me.

5. Another one that I REALLY REALLY hate to admit - Katie. I think this was her best performance to date by far. She looked very good and the song really showed off her voice.

6. Lee - Beast of Burden. Vocal was good, not as good as last week. He's seriously lacking in confidence though. He looks extremely uncomfortable. He needs to work on stage presence.

7. Aaron - This kid has a voice beyond his years, but he's lacking the package to make a serious run for the title. However, his version of Angie was really good.

8. Big Mike - Good voice, but super super SUPER CHEESY performance. I don't like the cockiness and I find his poor coreography to really detract from his performance.
The falesetto was horrendous.

9. Tim - Under my Thumb. I like the idea of the Reggae version of the song and I applaud him for doing that. However, he's not a Reggae singer and so he couldn't pull it off. I think the song could have worked in that style of the right person, someone like Jason Castro might have been able to pull it off. Tim didn't do it though.

10. Paige - 10 Million times better this week. But still not living up to her potential.

11. Lacey - Ruby Tuesday. I thought in parts she was very good, however, for every good part there was an equally really bad part. I was kind of a weird arrangement only outdone by the really weird outfit she was wearing. Its almost as if week to week she can't decide what to wear and so she just layers it all on and none of it matches.

12. Andrew - Super weak performance here. Andrew really showed what I've been thinking about him for a few weeks now. He's a one-hit wonder. He does basically 1 genre and he's pretty good at it, but take him out of that element and he just doesn't have the depth to him.



Rubbertoe's bottom 3 - Paige, Lacey and Andrew
America's bottom 3 - Paige, Lacey and Andrew

Who Rubbertoe would send home: Andrew
Who America will send home: Wednesday night we'll be sing...Goodbye Lacey Wednesday who could hang a name on you

It's all over now...and paint it awesome!

Top 12 Rolling Stones Night!

Big Mike - Miss You - interesting take on this tune - on the fence about the appeal of his falsetto. He could easily overuse it - if he hasn't already. K says he has already gone there. Off key in parts? agree with Simon about the corny dancing

DiDi - Playing with Fire - like the arrangement a lot, but wonder if it took too long to get to the chorus..if there was a chorus? she has the right take on the song - but just kind of fell apart at the end. K suggests a DiDi drinking game: wait for her forehead vein to show - then chug. Depending on her stress level - you could get wasted quick!

Casey - It's All Over Now - LOVE it! Great bluesy - rockin' vibe, southern style. If you wandered up at an outdoor concert and heard that & saw him - you would stick around, right J?! Nothin' more to say :)

Lacey - Ruby Tuesday - weird arrangement of this song. several places where she was quite flat. Committed cardinal Idol sin by singing a song with 'goodbye' in it. Ellen had a good point about her movement in the song - perceptive!

Andrew - Gimme Shelter - voice sounds really smooth in the beginning - but such a restrained performance for this song!

Katie - Wild Horses - ended much better than it started. shaky and a bit pitchy when she started off, but once her nerves calmed down she got into the song. Good song choice for her fan base to remember her.

Tim - Under My Thumb - never thought about a reggae version of this song...not sure about how that connected with the song. He really does have a nice voice though.

Siobhan - Paint it Black - thought it was perfect! great use of the stage - truly a performance on the Idol stage. Hated her hairdo though...curly q...

Lee - Beast of Burden - made the song current, seemed a bit nervous - but I really liked it. He has a really unique sound and hopefully we will see him really find songs that help him showcase that.

Paige - Honky Tonk Woman - much better performance this week than several weeks. Not sure about the lyric changes, but I really liked the tone of her voice - maybe it was the laryngitis.

Aaron - Angie - I had been kidding around that someone should sing this...pleasantly surprised with Aaron's performance here! (Well, not the rockin-back-n-forth thing he does). His tone was so smooth and clear, I totally forgot he was OMG 16. Way to go dude! I LOVED it !!

Crystal - Can't Always get What you want - YES you can! go Crystal! Effortless and smooth, rockin' MamaSox.

Rankings

Siobhan
Aaron
SPACE
Casey
Crystal
Lee
BIG SPACE
Katie
DiDi
Paige
Big Mike
Andrew
SPACE
Tim
Lacey

Our bottom three: Andrew, Tim and Lacey

America's bottom three: Andrew, Lacey and Tim

The Top 12: You Can't Always Get What You Want . . . Therefore, Sometimes It Has To Be Painted Black (YIKES)!

UGH! My interwebs is screwing me over this evening!

So, let’s get right to it…

1. Michael Lynche – Big Mike is singing “Miss You”, and I think he did a good, solid, job. As Simon would say, I’m not jumping out of my chair, but it was a good performance. Randy and Ellen thought he was great. Kara thought he delivered swagga and attitude. Simon thinks his confidence is up, but he thought it was kind of corny. He thought he sang it well, but that it was a tiny bit desperate. Ryan got up in his grill . . . that was kind of funny, and Simon wants to sort it out in his trailer later. 

2. Didi Benami – Her mother can’t watch in person because she doesn’t like watching her get judged . . . She’s singing “Playing with Fire” . . . the lower register notes are a little pitchy, but otherwise, I think she’s spot on . . . a haunting performance, and I kinda dug it . . . Randy thought she was on fire. Ellen noticed that she lost her way a bit, but liked that she got right back into it. Kara thinks it is compelling for her to have a sweet voice and sing a dark song. Simon thought it was a cool choice of song, and he is a fan.

3. Casey James – MY BABY! And Rubbertoe’s pick to win. Ok, so I love his mother. He’s singing “It’s All Over Now” . . . and he brought his guitar  . . . Casey’s got his swagga back . . . he’s kinda got that vibe tonight like it’s not American Idol, but a Casey James concert. Solid vocals, and I buy him singing the song. Randy thinks he could make a nice career with this type of performance. Ellen made a very funny lesbionic joke, and then told him it was fantastic. Kara thought he was a rock star. Simon thinks he looked and sounded great, but it sounded like an audition performance…. I’m not sure what that means. Mercy, that boy is hot . . .

4. Lacey Brown – Her parents are pastors . . . interesting . . . – She’s singing, “Ruby Tuesday” . . . She has such an interesting twang to her voice . . . I think technically she sang the song very well, but there was kind of a lack of energy. Randy was pleasantly surprised, and thought it was interesting. Ellen thought it was weird that she sat down during the up tempo part of the song. Kara thought her voice sounded good, but some pitch problems . . . she thinks she could have done it better. Simon thought the vocals were good, but she needs to stop over thinking it.

5. Andrew Garcia – Btw, La Seacrest’s constant references to “stones” is cracking me up. . . He’s singing “Give Me Shelter” . . . while Ryan tries to hold hands with Simon . . . er, um . . . something is very wrong with the beginning of this song . . . He’s very pitchy in parts . . . and those last big notes were slightly painful in a yikesy kind of way . . . Randy thought it wasn’t great. Ellen thought it was his best performance yet. Kara thought there were good parts, but not great overall. I didn’t hear what Simon said cuz I was on the phone with freakin Comcast… UGH!

6. Katie Stevens – She chose to sing “Wild Horses” . . . good choice . . . she wants to put Connecticut on the map . . . with that backlighting she looks like a younger version of The McPhee . . . The first part of the song was a little iffy, but she is picking it up . . . she hit a nice, big ole note towards the end . . . she's still a little pitchy, but I thought it was better than I've heard from her in the last few weeks. Randy thought she was a bit pitchy, but ended nicely. Ellen thought it started pitchy, but finished well. Kara thinks it's never technically perfect with her, but that she is talented. Simon thinks this is the only week where she has chosen the right song.

7. Tim Urban - Here comes the cross your fingers performance . . . it could go either way . . . too many jokes to say with the wide receiver comment . . . he's singing "Under My Thumb" . . . technically, he's singing the song fairly well, but I'm a bit bored with his rendition of this song . . . he is smart for choosing a song that doesn't have a huge range . . . I liked the ending much better . . . Randy didn't get the performance. Ellen felt like it was too relaxed, Kara applauds him for doing something so incredibly different with the song. Simon applauds his originality, but doesn't think it worked.

8. Siobhan Magnus - She's singing "Paint It Black" - I don't have a lot to say about this . . . they are going to jizz all over themselves for this and I just thought it was a Big. Hot. Mess. All of the judges jizzed and I am flacid.

9. Lee DeWyze - Whoever dressed him did a good job tonight... the boy looks good. He's singing "Beast of Burden" . . . Good, solid performance. Again, he's got those pitch problems, but I really like him. I still think he could be the darkhorse to win this thing. Randy thought it was dope. Ellen thought it didn't really come together . . . like a hospital gown. Kara thinks he's growing faster than anyone on stage . . . Simon likes him, but thinks his personality holds him back.

10. Paige Miles - Damn it, I didn't hear what she was singing . . . ahhh, "Honky Tonk Woman" . . . I think it was the best performance from her thus far . . . Randy wishes she had more energy. Paige liked that she used the stage. Kara thinks she really hit some big notes. Simon asked her about her voice . . .she has laryngitis . . . thinks she is still better than that and hasn't quite connected, but thinks she did a good job.

11. Aaron Kelly . . . his mother his Kelly Kelly . . . he's singing "Angie" . . . Someone wake me up when it's done . . . seriously, this is putting me to sleep . . . is this song not over yet . . . . oh my Lord . . . that was ok vocally, but he needs a shot of energy. Here comes the pimping . . . Randy thinks he has tender moments in his voice. Ellen thought that he and Siobhan were the two standout performances . . . Ellen is on crack. Kara thought he was powerful. Simon thinks he chose the right song, but thought he was quite clever with his vocal decisions.

12. Crystal Bowersox - Ok, I love her dad and Casey James' mom . . . "You Can't Always Get What You Want" . . . I'm looking forward to this . . . Randy loved it but didn't think it was her best. Ellen thinks she is born to be on stage. Kara thought she was a bit cocky before, but thought she was better tonight. Simon thinks she was beaten by Siobhan . . . HAVE THEY LOST THEIR FUCKING MINDS!

My rankings:

1. Crystal,
2. Casey
(Space),
3. Lee,
4. Didi,
5. Michael,
6. Paige,
7 Siobhan,
8. Katie,
9. Lacey,
(space)
10. Aaron,
11. Tim,
(space),
12. Andrew

My bottom three: Aaron, Tim, and Andrew
America's bottom three: Lacey, Andrew, and Didi (the surprise)

Should go home: Andrew or Aaron
Will go home: Andrew

Dr. L & K Top 12 (better late than never...)

Man, this was tough! And we may be SO wrong on some of them. I find it interesting that we line up with J and R on many points, just a couple of degrees off. If we go down in flames, it will be together!

DR L & K

01.Casey
02.Crystal
03.Siobhan
04.Lee
05.Big Mike
06. Didi
07. Andrew
08.Katie
09.Aaron
10. Paige Miles
11.Tim
12.Lacey

Oddsmakers Assessment of Idol Season Nine

American Idol Top 12 Betting Odds To Win Season 9 At Sportsbooks Now

Odds to Win Season 9 of American Idol:

Crystal Bowersox +180
Siobhan Magnus +450
Casey James +550
Lee Dewyze +650
Michael Lynche +800
Andrew Garcia +1000
Didi Benami +1200
Katie Stevens +1800
Aaron Kelly +3000
Lacey Brown +3300
Tim Urban +4000
Paige Miles +5000

David Cook on Wednesday's Show

Just saw this info on another Idol Blog, that David Cook tweeted that he was going to be on Idol Wednesday. Supposedly it hasn't been promoted yet by TPTB, maybe it's supposed to be a surprise?
-- K

Rubbertoe's Top 12

So...even though I predicted that both Toddrick and Alex would leave last week....my predictions have been known to be WAAY off (especially last season when I predicted Kris Allen to be the first of the 12 to go). But regardless, here is my take on the top 12.


12. Lacey - I agree with J. She sneaked into the top 24. She sneaked into the top 12. I just don't see her going much further. I like her, but she comes across a little too old for the Idol crowd and I don't think she will draw in the young voters that comprise the largest voting block.

11. Andrew - This is a tough one because I think he is still riding a wave of initial popularity. I liked him at first, but that wave crashed quite a while ago for me. He just doesn't have the depth. He's a wildcard because it is unknown how widespread his popularity is. I'm guess, not that far.

10. Katie - I'm going with Katie as #10 though my brain tells me that J is right...that she will go further based on her youthful age and the voting patterns. However, my heart tells me that AI voters are still going to vote for talent (however that was proven wrong with Taylor Hicks and many others who went further than they ever should have).

9. Paige - She could go sooner, but AI seems to want her to go further and so I expect her to be around for a few weeks.

8. Aaron - Isn't this the spot where the "chicken littles" that get in usually get voted off? You know...the one's that have some talent, but never really had a chance to win the whole thing because they don't have the "package"?

7. Tim - He's another difficult one. He's got the looks going for him, but last week, he also showed that he does have a good voice. I think he's got enough momentum to propel him this far, probably not much more. But even that momentum could be derailed with one bad performance.

6. Siobhan - I'm with J on this one. I don't see the talent here. She's kinda weird and even though she has an OK voice, its not all that. Plus....people are not going to be talking about her because her name is difficult, so she is going to lose some of that water cooler crowd.

5. Didi - I'm all over the place on Didi (as anyone following along knows). I picked her to win the whole thing a month ago. Two weeks ago I wasn't sure she would make the top 12. Down deep, I still believe that this girl has talent and she's got a good personality that should mix with the talent to propel her into the top 5

4. Lee - Another tough one. I think he suffers too much from the David Cook comparisons that will be drawn. People are going to want something different. Not sure if he will make it this far or not, but I don't think he'll go farther.

3. Michael Lynche (Big Mike) - He is definitely the Josh Gracin, Phil Stacey this year. He deserves to be voted off earlier, but he's going to make the top 5 based entirely on his personality and "likeability". His performance last week came across totally cheesy to me, but he is the kind of guy that America wants to root for. But that can only get you so far (except...footnote, Taylor Hicks)


2. Crystal - She's got the talent, but I'm not sure that she has the likeability factor that is often important in the Idol contest. She comes across a little too raw to appeal to the masses, IMHO....so I'm not even sure that she will make the Top 2...but she should and she very well could win.

1. Casey - I'm going against my better judgement. It has been the guys for two years in a row now. Its very unlikely that it is going to be a guy, however, I'm just not sure that America is going to buy into the whole Crystal granola deal. Her style is not the typical AI genre....and Casey has the looks, the charm and the talent that make up the AI package.

J's Top 12

Ok, so, I was looking over K's Top 12 pics at the bottom of the page . . . and I thought I should map out my Top 12 for the season . . . I have been so wrong throughout the Top 24, and am starting to believe that not as many people are voting this year . . . so the choices prove difficult. . . particularly the first few . . . but, here we go.

12. Lacey - I really think she sneaked through the first two weeks of Hollywood . . . I think she is vulnerable and will be the first to go.

11. Paige - I think she's got one more week in her, but will then be out the door . . . she should have been gone last week. Simon may think she has the best female voice, but she has yet to prove it.

10. Andrew - I think he will make the tour, but his performances throughout Hollywood were iffy at best. I think at this point in the competition, he will get a little lost in the shuffle.

9. Aaron - HE SHOULD NOT BE HERE. Whew, I feel better saying that . . . I'm still smarting a bit that we have to here him sing and Alex Lambert was left behind. I think he'll still coast a while on the sweet 16 vibe, but will leave fairly early.

8. Katie - SHE SHOULD NOT BE HERE. Whew, I feel better saying that . . . I think the sixteen year old's will go out back to back.

7. Siobhan - I have never really felt her vibe. I understand I am on the island of unpopular opinion here, but I think she will be our first surprise exit.

6. Tim - I think fairly consistent performances and that face will take him into the Top 6 but no further.

5. Big Mike - I think Big Mike will run out of steam at some point and looking at the remaining four . . . I just don't think he's in the same class . . .

Which leads me to my Top 4 . . .

4. Didi - I really like this girl. I think she has a solid, consistent voice, and has a lovely stage presence. I think there are a few contestants who are stonger than she is, but I think she'll definitely be a part of our final four.

3. Lee - Even with the slightly pitchy vocals, he has got such an amazing stage presence, and I can already see him touring. I love, love, love this boy . . . I think he is going to be the surprise of the Top 12 . . . and may be the darkhorse to win.

2. Casey - AKA My Baby - Y'all know I love my baby. I think he has a consistent voice, plays a mean guitar, and has great stage presence. He very definitely could win this competition, but I think there is one more who could out do him . . .

1. Crystal - I just think she already carries herself as the consummate professional. I think some of the theme weeks will be difficult for her, but I think she's got it in her to emerge the winner . . . I think the Idol Machine will NOT want her to win . . . they would definitely be pulling for Didi, Lee, and Casey . . .

Should be an interesting season . . .

The Top 12: Rolling Stones Week

According to Fox's Idol Website, these are the song choices our Top 12 were given. Wonder which one each will choose . . .

Angie
Goats Head Soup
As Tears Go By
December's Children (And Everybody's)
Beast of Burden
Black Limousine
Tattoo You
Sticky Fingers
Can't You Hear Me Knocking
Country Honk
Let It Bleed
Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)
Emotional Rescue
Fool to Cry (Remastered)
Black and Blue (Remastered)
Get Off My Cloud
December's Children (And Everybody's) [Remastered]
Gimme Shelter
Happy
Exile On Main St
Hang Fire
Tattoo You
Heart of Stone
Out of Our Heads
Honky Tonk Women
Through the Past, Darkly (Big Hits Vol. 2)
Hot Stuff (Remastered)
Black and Blue (Remastered)
It's All Over Now
It's Only Rock 'n' Roll
Jumpin' Jack Flash
Through the Past, Darkly
Lady Jane
The Last Time
Out of Our Heads
Live With Me
Love In Vain
Midnight Rambler
Miss You
Some Girls
Mother's Little Helper
Aftermath 19th Nervous Breakdown
No Expectations
Beggars Banquet
Paint It, Black
Aftermath
Play With Fire
Out of Our Heads
Ruby Tuesday
Flowers
(Salt of the Earth
(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
Out of Our Heads
Shattered
Some Girls
She Was Hot
Undercover
She's a Rainbow
Their Satanic Majesties Request
She's So Cold
Emotional Rescue
Exile On Main St
Start Me Up
Tattoo You
Street Fighting Man
Sympathy for the Devil
Time Is On My Side
Too Tough
Tumbling Dice
Under My Thumb
Waiting On a Friend
Wild Horses
You Can't Always Get What You Want

voting graphic @ bottom of blog

Hey Guys,

I had been using the old circle+slash method of marking which contestant went home every week on the grid below, and thought I'd try something new:

What do you think?
--K

American Idol Top 12: A Redux

So, we are starting another year of the Top 12 ... our Idols are singing the songbook of The Rolling Stones. The beginning of this year's Top 12 made me think of our original Top 10 from Season One . . . so, remembering Kelly, Justin, Nicki, Tamyra and the rest, I present the original American Idol... Ms. Clarkson ... singing "You're All I Need" from Motown Week. ENJOY!