Idol Chatter - The Tiara is Passed...but to Whom?

Big night on Idol--not only are we going to crown the ninth American Idol, but we get to see the ten Idols wannabes who were unceremoniously booted from the show over the past few months sing their hearts out and try to remind us why they were in the Final 12. And to top it all off, we are going to say good-bye to our good friend, Simon, who is leaving Idol after putting the show on the map 9 years ago.


But enough of the preamble, let's check out the Idol Finale!


After watching the final three performances for Lee and Crystal last night, one would have to think Crystal is the sure winner--she was more comfortable on stage, delivered her three songs with more confidence, and the judges simply loved her (like they have all season with the exception of a few weeks toward the end when it appeared she was coasting to the finish).


But never count out an Idol finalist. Lee certainly has his fans and, as everyone knows, it isn't so much the singing that wins Idol as it is the votes. And votes are cast by fans, so it is going to come down to who has the most fans.


Before we learn who will be named Season 9 American Idol, we are going to be "entertained" with a number of performance. And here they come....

• Up first, the entire Idol Top 12 dressed in Catholic School Girl and Boy outfits and singing Alice Cooper's "School's Out for the Summer". And as one might guess, Alice made an appearance with the Top 12--in full Alice Cooper make-up and leather pants/jacket. The only Idol who looked like she could get away with the outfit and the song was Siobhan--the rest looked like they thought they were going to the "High School Musical 500" auditions!
• After they cleared the stage of this season's 12, Ryan invited back the reigning American Idol, Kris Allen. As Kris started to sing "The Truth", Ryan could be heard talking over him--oops! Technical glitch. But never mind that little snafu, Kris delivered a great performance and really looked like an Idol as he made his way to the front of the stage to shake all of the little Idol Worshipers hands.

To break up the monotony of the singing, we were treated to a retrospective of Simon's best moments on Idol. There were many funny moments and Ryan promised even more throughout the show.

• Back to the singing and a duet of Siobhan Magnus and Aaron Kelly putting their special spin on the Bee Gees' "How Deep is Your Love"...and then it was time for the two remaining Brothers Gibb to take the stage. It was quite entertaining watching arguably the Disco-era's greatest hit makers sing with a couple of kids who weren't even a tickle in their daddy's pockets when this awesome song was first released! Just another example of Idol bringing the relevance.
• Sticking with the brothers theme, Big Mike took on The Doobie Brothers' "Taking It to the Street". As he finished the first chorus, Big Mike introduced another Mike--Michael McDonald. For my money, Michael McDonald has one of the best and most recognizable voices in the music industry, but tonight he was really struggling to get the vocals out--must have had a late night last night partying with the Idol finalist.
• Mixing a little comedy with some music, Dane Cook put some of Simon's best insults to music and was joined by a number of the the "rejects" who were the targets of said insults including that one irritating guy who auditioned about 100 times in NYC and other locations. As the nut job was telling Simon how he was going to take over Simon's chair, the Idol producers did a quick jump to a commercial--ah, the joys of live TV!
• The Final 6 Idol girls (Lacey, Didi, Katie, Paige, Siobhan, and Chrystal) got together for a medley of hits starting with Christina's "Beautiful" followed by "Fighter" and then the girls were joined by the X herself! After "Fighter", the Idol girls left the stage to Christina who took the opportunity to solo on "You Lost Me"....not into it--kind of brought the show down a bit.

More comedy when Ricky Gervais was shown in a video clip "praising" Simon--his "not so good" friend. It was classic Ricky--but I was disappointed that HE didn't do a bit of singing. Maybe on Simon's next show.

• Lee lead off the Boy's medley singing Hall & Oates' "I Can't Go for That". The rest of the Top 6 Boys joined in and it wasn't long before they switched to "Maneater"--which was quite hilarious when young Aaron took the lead on his part! But the rest of the Boys--Casey, Big Mike, Teflon Tim, and Andrew sounded good. And then they introduced the "real" Daryl and John who did an updated version of "You Make My Dreams Come True". For those keeping track at home, John Oates no longer has the porn 'stache, but Daryl Hall has added a blonde beard that looks a bit creepy--I'm just thankful they sound good and I don't have to look at them!
• After a very awkward (and quick) Q&A with Chrystal's dad, Chrystal took the stage and sang Alanis Morrisette's "Ironic"--a song that should DEFINITELY be on her debut album. But just as she was starting to get things going, Crystal welcomed Alanis to the stage and they did a little duet on "You Oughta Know"--another great performance from a VERY talented singer (Crystal...and Alanis isn't bad either!).
• Singing "Undo It" was Season 4 American Idol and reigning Country Music Entertainer of the Year, Carrie Underwood. Carrie looked great and sounded even better--as Simon said way back when Carrie was but an Idol Wannabe, she is likely to become the biggest selling Idol of all time! She is certainly one of the most decorated.
• After the usual elimination night Ford music video, Ryan and the two Idol finalist introduced Casey James who sang the Poison hit, "Every Rose Has a Thorn"...and then Bret Michaels walk on stage. It has certainly been an interesting past few months for the former Poison front man--he cheated death at least twice, was "hired" by Donald Trump as his new Celebrity Apprentice this past Sunday, and now he is singing on America's biggest TV show. A big week indeed...and what a great moment.
• Trying to make a similar moment, Lee teamed up with his hometown band, Chicago, to sing a medley of their hits starting off with "Does Anybody Really Know What Time it Is" followed by "If you Leave me Now" and finished with "25 or 6 to 4". Lee and the brass section sounded great, but the Chicago vocalists struggled with their voices. Could have been an engineering issue as the band sounded a bit muffled. Either way, it must have been quite a thrill for Lee to play with these guys.

Another video montage poking fun at Simon and then the return of General Larry Platt to sing his now famous song, "Pants on the Ground". General Larry showed up with dancers and dance moves and was joined at the end by Season 1's William Hung who dropped his pants with the rest of the guys. Magic? I'm not sure, but I'll bet you're looking at tomorrow's YouTube instant classic.

More fun video moments hosted by Paula Abdul followed by an appearance by the former Idol judge who thanked Simon for his time on Idol. Then with Paula sitting on his lap, Simon was serenaded by Idol winners of the past--Kelly, Reuben, Fantasia, Carrie, Jordin, Taylor, and Kris (the only one missing was Season 7 winner, David Cook). As the former Idols sang as one (or more accurately "Together As One"), they were joined onstage by a number of former Idol finalist dressed in white (for some unknown reason). After they finished their song, Ryan invited Simon to the stage where he thanked everyone, told them the show will go on, and admitted to be experiencing some unexpected emotions--he's human!

• While everyone wiped tears from their eyes, the Season 9 Idol Finalists (sans Lee and Crystal) jump started Janet Jackson's new song, "Nothing" from her new movie. Janet looked great and sounded better--it was a bit eerie listening to her because I swear I could hear Michael. And she ended this beautiful song, the familiar intro to "Nasty Boys" started up and Janet disappeared behind a shade only to re-emerge dressed in a black body suit with brown stripes up the side--and looking AWESOME! Oh, you can call her Miss Jackson if you are Nasty!
• After watching a video travelogue of Lee and Crystal's journey on Idol, the two finalists dueted on Joe Cocker's "With a Little Help From My Friends"...and then the living legend appeared and sang with our future Idol and runner up. Joe wasn't able to hit the notes like he did when he was younger, but he still had that special blue-eyed soul thing going and it was obvious that Lee and Crystal were enjoying every moment of their time with Joe.

So with all of the performances over, there was but one piece of business left: to find out who is going to wear the crown as the Season 9 American Idol. Ryan gathered the two finalist, built up a bit of drama (it looked Lee was going to come out of his skin while Crystal was the picture of cool), and then Ryan announced that....Lee was the new American Idol!

No one was more surprised than Lee, but he pulled it together long enough to thank everyone, profess his love for everyone, and sing what will become his debut single ("Beautiful Day").

And so goes another season on Idol. Tune in next year when there will be a new contestants, new journeys, and a new judge.

Until then, I will continue watching TV so you don't have to.

Charlie

Idol Worship - The Final Performance

When the night started, there were two Idols left standing. All that stood between one of them and their dream of being crowned Season 9 American Idol were three songs and your votes.

Here's how it all went down:

• Lee DeWyze was the first of the two finalists to perform. For his first song he went with
  "The Boxer", a song he originally sang during "Inspiration" week. Lee gave a solid performance, but it was clear his nerves were starting to show after having been held in check the past couple of weeks. The judges were all over the place with their critiques--Randy, Kara, and Simon wanted more while Ellen said she "couldn't have been prouder if I gave birth to you".
• While Lee internalized the judges comments and got ready for his second song, Crystal took the stage and sang "Me and Bobby McGee". As you no doubt recall, Crystal sang this classic Janis Joplin song back on Billboard #1 week. She hit it out of the park the first time and did the same this time. I found it a little "screamy" toward the end (a shout out to Siobhan perhaps), but the judges fell all over themselves complimenting her and giving her an overwhelming lead by taking Round 1.

Round 2 songs were selected by Idol producer, Simon Fuller.

• For Lee, Simon selected REM's "Everybody Hurts". It was a really good song selection and one that seemed perfectly suited for Lee's "radio ready" voice. To help give the song a fuller sound and elevate the performance a bit, Lee was joined on stage by a gospel choir. His performance was definitely an improvement over his first one, but you could tell the nerves were still present.
• Crystal's second song was "Black Velvet"--the moody torch song made famous by Canada's own Alana Myles. Crystal came dressed to kill in a black dress and strappy heels, but she struggled to make her way around the stage and at one time looked as those she was going to take a header into the crowd. But wobbly steps aside, Cyrstal, again, delivered a performance strong enough to add another round in her favor.

For their third and final song, Lee and Crystal selected songs that, if they win, will be their debut singles.

• Lee went with the U2 anthem, "Beautiful Day" and delivered a much stronger performance--it was not Bono, but it was still good and likely worthy of recording whether he wins or not.
• Crystal chose a lesser known song to close the show. In my opinion, Cyrstal had the performance of the night with "Up to the Mountain (MLK Song)"--a spiritial song filled with raw emotion and soul.

So with the final six performances over, Simon's last critique ever, and your votes being tabulated, the only thing we can do now is wait for the results show--an over-bloated two-plus hour affair scheduled to begin tomorrow night at 8:00PM Eastern and Pacific, 7:00PM Central. Tune in then to find out if your favorite will win the crown.

Until then, I will continue watching TV so you don't have to.

Charlie

Idol Thoughts - The Final Pairing is Set

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that by the time you finish reading this entry, you will know who will be singing next week for the Season 9 Idol Crown...or maybe you already knew that.

Either way, tonight is the night when Ryan puts us through nearly 60 minutes of torturous elimination night activities before finally announcing who will make the trip to the Nokia Theatre, sing for your vote, and listen for their name to be added to the eight other Idols who were fast-tracked in their efforts to become household names and recording artists.

The first thing Ryan did was introduce and chat briefly with the judges, then he welcomed the remaining Idols--Casey, Crystal, and Lee to the stage, walked them to the elimination couch, and asked them about their experiences on Idol...about the only thing that was the least bit interesting was when all three Idols made it very clear that they want to win! Surprising, right?!

Finally a commercial! But when we returned it was time for the friggin' Ford music video. FF and we were off to Cool, TX to see what Casey's time back home had in store for him. There was the usual private jet, a police escort, interviews with the local Fox affiliate, a huge gathering of fans at his old high school, and a quick visit to the hospital where Casey recuperated after a terrible accident some six years ago which nearly cost him his life. It was a pretty cool homecoming for the tall Texan.

Taking a break from the Idols, Ryan introduced Perez Hilton who helped welcome his protege, Travis Garland, to the Idol stage to sing "Believe". According to Perez (he of the blogosphere), Travis is BETTER than Justin Timberlake! Them's fightin' words in this house--JT is loved by all...he's funny, a great athlete, and, oh yeah, he can sing! So far I'm not all that impressed with Mr. Garland. He seems to be just like ever other JT-wannabe...it may be more appropriate to compare him to Justin Bieber! (who happens to be on the show a little later).

Before JB hits the stage, we headed back to Toledo, Ohio to see how Crystal was received during her homecoming. It was pretty much a carbon copy of Casey's time in Texas, just a little further north. The highlight of Crystal's time back in Ohio was watching her play the a concert at Bowerstock!--a clever play on her name and Woodstock in case you didn't catch that.

While Crystal wiped her tears, we went back to the Windy City with Lee. As with the other two Idols, Lee was mobbed wherever he went including at the Cubs game where he threw out the first pitch--and did a pretty good job at it! Lee seemed genuinely overwhelmed to be back home and was overcome with emotion when he made a stop at the paint store in Mt. Prospect where he worked before he auditioned for Idol and was whisked off to Hollywood for his Idol ride.

OK, so everyone has gone home, received their well-deserved adoration, and it's time to find out who's singing next week...of so you would think. Instead it's Justin Bieber time....or as I like to call it, time to fast forward to the results which is exactly what I'm doing....

It's minute :53 of the show and Ryan has just now started the results portion of the show. And the first finalist is....Lee DeWyze! While Lee let out a HUGE sigh of relief, Ryan let Crystal know that she would be joining Lee meaning Casey James is heading back to Cool, TX.

As is the custom, Casey sang one last time for his fans. Tonight's bye-bye song was last night's judge's selection, "Daughters". Casey made his way around the audience, stopping to shake hands with the judges, and then walking over to pick up a little girl (his?) and finish his song. It was a sweet moment and one that will no doubt be replayed about as often as his audition in Denver when Kara asked him to take off his shirt (he did).

The finals are set and we are one week away from knowing who the next American Idol is going to be. So tune in next Tuesday to hear Lee and Crystal sing one last time and then vote for your favorite.

As always, I will continue watching TV so you don't have to.

Charlie

Idol Worship - And then there were Three!

Here's the deal, tonight the final three Idols are going to sing two songs for your votes. The first song will be of their chosing, the other will be selected by one of our esteemed judges.

Up first and singing "OK, It's Alright With Me" was Casey James. Casey said he picked this song because he felt it represented the type of artist he is and the type of music he will record after Idol. For those of you not familiar with the Eric Hutchinson song (like me!), Casey did what he does best--put a little southern rock flair to an otherwise boring song. He sounded good and the ladies were loving him, but I'm not sure it was a "winning" performance. It would have been nice to hear him doing something that stretched him a bit more. The Big Dawg agreed with me and Ellen babbled on before confirming what I said. Kara noted that his song selection (of a relatively unknown song) wasn't a very good choice. Simon went on and on about how the song just didn't work, but ended by saying he sounded good--sounds like Simon might be reading my blog even before I write it! :)

So with one mediocre performance in the can, what would Crystal Bowersox do with "Come to My Window" to try to get the show back on track--this is the Final 3 after all. Crystal took her guitar and harmonica to the stage and gave her all to the Melissa Etheridge hit. From the first note, you knew she was singing to win--unlike Casey who seems to be a bit stuck in the "happy just to be here" mode. With Crystal's vocals soaring, the crowd clapping, and the band completing the scene, Crysal did a good all-around job with the song. The judges weren't overjoyed with the performance--Randy and Kara didn't like the arrangement. But Simon credited her with staying true to who she is and thought she delivered a good performance.

With a relatively underwelming start to the Final 3 show, it's time to see what Lee DeWyze can do to shake things up and he chose Lynrd Skynrd's "Simple Man" to do so. The song started out a bit slow, but once the band kicked into gear and Lee let his vocals loose, I thought he made a statement and "won" Round 1. Randy predicted that Lee "thinks he can win it!" Ellen went on and on comparing Lee to a number of different wild animals and avoided any type of advice or criticism. Kara echoed my comment about Lee winning Round 1. Simon said that Lee's song selection was perfect and that he "crushed it in Round 1". Why do we need judges when there's me?! Rhetorical.

Round 2 and the Judge's song selections.

First up, Casey who performed Randy and Kara's selection of "Daughters" by John Mayer. Casey strapped on his electric guitar and was joined on stage by a piano and guitar player. Listening to Casey, you can tell he has talent, but his vocal range is fairly limited. I'm not sure that vocal limit hurt him too much during this performance, but as has happened so many times before, Casey appeared to enjoy showing off his guitar skills over his vocal talents. All in all it was a decent performance. Randy, of course, thought it was a brilliant song selection and was his type of song. While Kara praised her and Randy for a good song selection, Simon was seen laughing and then he tore into Randy and Kara for picking a song that had a climax that was a guitar solo. Simon's comments led Kara to spend an un-Godly amount of time defending her song selection and trying to convince everyone that she is brilliant...in the end the judges liked the performance, but it wasn't enough to overcome his first performance.

Ellen chose "Maybe I'm Amazed" by Paul McCartney for Crystal Bowersox. Seated upon the Idol spiral staircase and dressed in black, Crystal started the song strong making her way to center stage and then the catwalk behind the judge's table. On the way she added a bit of a Janis Joplin sound to the song, but then she kind of lost me--I thought she was screaming the words which sounded odd. The judges thought she did really well and gave her props for doing the song without her guitar. Simon said she may want to thank Ellen for helping put her in the finals...but that's up to you the voters.

Simon went with "Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen for Lee--even before Lee strummed the first chord on his trusty acoustic guitar, I knew it was the right song choice. As Lee hit the chorus, the Idol doors opened behind him and in walked a gospel octet there to offer backing vocals and provide a very rich sound for a guy who I think moved into the role of the favorite after two very strong performances. When Lee finished, he had tears welling up in his eyes and Simon looked like proud as a peacock. Randy gave serious props to Simon for his song choice, Ellen thought it was "stunning", and Kara called Lee the "heart of the show...you just owned the night". Simon told Lee how proud he was of him and said Lee "proved you are a fantastic singer and good person". I must admit that was definitely THE performance of the season.

If you are keeping score at home, you should have it: Lee - 2; Casey and Crystal - 0.

But the judge's don't determine who is going to the finals next week, you do. So tune in tomorrow to see if your votes helped put your favorite move into the finals.

Until then, I will continue watching TV so you don't have to.

Charlie

Idol Chatter - The Final Quarter becomes a Trio

Ever wonder what happens when over 36 million votes are cast for four reality contestants? Me either, but tonight we're going to find out because tonight Ryan Seacrest is going to deliver the news that one of the four remaining Idol wannabes didn't get a big enough portion of those votes to remain in the contest and vie for the title of "American Idol - Season 9".

The four Idols still with a chance to join the eight other crowned American Idols are: Crystal Bowersox, Lee Dewyze, Michael Lynche, and Casey James.

Before any voting results were revealed Ryan invited Season 3 winner, Fantasia, to the stage to sing. I didn't watch Idol back when Fantasia was battling it out for the title, but I have seen her perform over the years--mostly on Idol shows just like this. Before tonight I didn't really see her appeal--I always felt she screamed the words and that didn't thrill me. But tonight was quite a different story; she looked good, sounded good, and made me a believer...what a pleasant surprise. If you are a fan of Fantasia, you can pick up her new album, "Bittersweet", which I believe comes out this summer.

With the Idols gathered on the stage and seated on matching stools, Ryan tortured us with what he promised was one of the final Ford music videos of the season.

When the video ended, Ryan reminded everyone that tonight's elimination is more important than ever--not only does it mean they make it to the final three, but they also get to go home and be adored by their friends, family, and hometowns...not to mention get keys to the city, have parades thrown in their honor, and to put on impromptu concerts for their local fans.

To prepare the Idols for their visit home, the Idol producers had the families of all four contestants sitting on the Idol couch while the Idols learned their fate...and with that, let's begin the process.

Ryan had all four Idols stand up and then talked with them as they were paired last night during the duet portion of the performance show. Then Ryan started building the Top 3 by announcing that Casey is safe! So much for my prediction of him going home. Oh well.

As Casey made his way to the his family on the couch, the other three Idols started doing the math...their chances of being eliminated just went from 25% to 33%--and the higher percentage is NOT desired!

To help the still unknowing Idols calm their nerves a bit, Ryan welcomed former Idol finalist and current recording star, Daughtry to the stage to sing his new hit, "September". Many of you remember Chris Daughtry as the prohibitive favorite to win the Season 5 Idol crown, but he was unceremoniously sent packing at this time (Top 4). I'm sure most of you Daughtry fans will agree, Idol's loss was the music industry and the fan's gain--if he would have won the title, he would have been "forced" to record music that wasn't his style and he may never have blown up as much as he has these past five years. So let's see if tonight's "loser" can turn their elimination into gold--only time will tell.

Continuing the elimination process, Ryan went down the line from Michael to Lee to Crystal--recapping their performances, the judges comments, and then a quick Q&A with the Idols as well as the judges. Then he sent Lee back to Chicago--as in he is the second member of the Top 3. I'm not sure there was a more suprised person in the theatre than Lee!...maybe Crystal and Michael who must now wait through a performance by Bon Jovi before finding out who's going home for their day in the sun and who's going home to drown their sorrows and hope for a Daughtry-like ending.

While Crystal and Michael tried desparately to get their blood pressure under control, Bon Jovi rocked "Superman Tonight" for the studio audience. Does anyone remember back in Season 6 when Jon Bon Jovi mentored the likes of Jordin Sparks and Beat Boxing Blake Lewis? I thought he did a great job working with the Idols and should be brought back next season to mentor a new group of Idols.

As you contemplate that suggestion, it's time to find out who is going to join Casey and Lee in the Top 3. Ryan asked for the lights to be dimmed and then told Crystal that she is the third member of the T3 meaning Big Mike is being given a one-way ticket home to St. Pete F-L-A. A quick video recap of Michael's Idol adventure including a clip of Kara crying after hearing Big Mike sing in an earlier round and the famous judge's save several weeks ago the first time Mike failed to gain enough votes. One last song for his fans and then it was officially time to say good-bye to Big Mike for the last time--until the finale in a couple of weeks and the Idol tour this summer...which means, there is no good-bye for the forseeable future!

So your Top 3 is all set and it is up to Casey, Lee, and Crystal to put on a great show next Tuesday. Be sure to tune in and see who sings well enough to make the duo that is the Final 2.

Until then, I will continue watching TV so you don't have to.

Charlie

Idol Worship - The Final Four Go to the Movies

It's performance night for the Idols and the final four Idol wannabes will be working with Jamie Foxx as they select songs from the movies to sing for your votes. It should be an entertaining show because not only will the final four sing a solo, but they will also team up with one of their fellow finalists to sing a duet--wonder if they will make them lip synch like they do on elimination night...wouldn't that just be awful!

But let's not think about that right now, instead let's check out the solo performances.

First up with Jamie was Lee Dewyze. Lee went with the "Kiss From a Rose" from Batman Forever by Mr. Heidi Klum (aka Seal). As Lee practiced the song, Jamie got all up in his face--just let he did a couple of years ago with Danny Gokey. A week after ditching his guitar in favor of singing with Harry Connick, Jr.'s big band, Lee was back to the comfort zone of playing his acoustic guitar and dressed in a black and white flannel--looking ever the street corner singer. He didn't sound at the top of his game tonight, but it looked like he sure enjoyed himself--as did the audience. When it came time for the judges to share their thoughts, Randy didn't feel Lee did much with the song and was "pitchy at times". Ellen didn't offer much of a critique simply telling him he's good. Kara followed Ellen's lead, but went a step further saying "you are great!". Simon called it "karaoke...you tried too hard to sound like the original". As much as I would like to disagree with Simon and Randy, I can't. It was a disappointing performance, but he's still got a duet to sing, so there is still hope.

Big Mike was next and went with song by another Mike--as in Michael Jackson. Big Mike took on the King of Pop's "Will Be There". Mike didn't sound so good when he was with Jamie, so the jury was out leading up to his big live performance. When Big Mike hit the stage he was accompanied by a Gospel group following him down the steps at the back of the Idol stage. I wasn't overly thrilled with the performance--Big Mike did about the same as Lee...which wasn't much beyond "cover" the song...I'm not sure that is good enough to win the competition. But what did the judge's think? As always, Randy was the first to offer his thoughts. Randy liked the song, but didn't love it and would have rather had Big Mike select an R&B song. Ellen noted that the song was from Free Willy..."one of the greatest movies of all time". She also called Mike's performance "predictable". Kara wished for goosebumps, but was left unsatisfied. Simon questioned what "Free Willy" is and struggled to link a movie about a whale with what Mike did on stage...and when Kara tried to explain it the movie to him, he became even more confused. And I'm pretty sure that confusion is going to lead to Big Mike being in trouble come elimination night.

So with two rather disappointing performances in the bag, Ryan introduced the first duet of the night: Lee and Crystal who sang "Falling Slowly" from Once. For those keeping track at home, there will be no voting for this song...so just sit back and read my comments and wish you could have seen the first magic moment of the evening. Lee and Crystal sounded really good and may want to consider recording a song or two together post-Idol! What a surprise...and no lipsyncing! Randy was equally impressed and thought they could have a hit record. Ellen called them the "New Captain and Tenille"! Kara thought it may be the best moment of the season. Simon called it a "fantastic song"! Cue the applause and cheers.

Our third solo performance of the night came courtesy of Texas-native, Casey James. Casey struggled to find the soul of "Mrs. Robinson", but Jamie was able to coax it out of him. And in an odd twist, Casey chose to sit on a mini stage adjacent to the judge's table and play his mandolin. As Casey sang his song and the young ladies in the audience clapped and waved their arms, he seemed to grow more confident as the song reached the end of his alloted 90 seconds. When it was all said and done I don't know if Casey blew anyone's socks off, but he certainly sounded a lot better than the first two solo acts--which isn't saying much tonight. Before offering his critique, Randy asked if there was any special meaning behind his song selection--cue the uncomfortable Casey-Kara jokes. Ellen wished he would have used a bigger guitar and took the song to new heights. Kara pointed out that Casey made a good song choice (no surprise) and stepped out of his comfort zone. Simon thought it was a lazy performance and a missed opportunity to make a bigger impact. So to net it out--no one loved his performance, but at least he was able to bring back Kara-crush story line that had all but died several weeks ago.

Rounding out the night's solos, Crystal went with "I'm Alright" from Caddyshack--a questionable song selection, but one that fits the night's crazy song choices. Crystal opted to go with her acoustic guitar and had a percusion player with her on stage. Listening to Crystal sing what is far from a "great" song, I was somewhat surprised at how much I enjoyed her version of the Kenny Loggins hit. Randy credited her with switching up the song even though it wasn't his favorite. Ellen felt she took the song and made it better. Simon said Crystal is "back in the game" after receiving less than glowing reviews the past couple of weeks.

The final performance of the night was courtesy of Casey and Big Mike who duetted on "Have You Really Ever Loved a Woman"--Bryan Adams' hit from Don Juan deMarco. I think I was one of the five people to actually see that lame movie in the theatre and the best thing about it was when it ended...and the second best thing was this song. The boys did a pretty good job on the song, but not quite in the same league as Lee and Crystal--although Kara said the duets were better than the solo performances tonight...no argument from me.

BTW: Ellen answered the musical question asked by Casey and Mike with a resounding "yes...I have loved a woman". A comment that was met with lots of applause and laughter.

With the performance part of the show over, it's up to you the voter to decide who stays and who goes home tomorrow night. If it were my call, I would say goodnight to Casey--I like him, but he seems to have peaked where the other three still have something left in the tank.

Tune in tomorrow to see how your favorite does. Until then, I will continue watching TV so you don't have to!

Charlie

Idol Chatter - The Final Four is Found

Going into tonight's elimination show, you just knew it was going to be a good one--how could you go wrong with Harry Connick, Jr. and Lady Gaga all set to perform, the thrill of Cinco de Mayo in the air, and the anicipation of learning who your final four will be by the end of the show. It is sure to be a big night.

But before we were allowed to enjoy any of those goodies, we endured the following:

• a terible lip-synched medley of Sinatra tunes
• the lame Ford music video
• a behind the scenes look at what the Idols go through on performance day
• silly questions for the Idols as they sat on the Idol couch in their Sinatra-inspired outfits
• and finally, the elimation process began...

Lee was first to stand up, walk to center stage, hear a recap of last night's judge's comments, and, after several minutes of babble (most of it from Lee himself), he found out he was safe and the first member of the Final Four.

After a commercial break--or as I like to call it "my finger on the FF button", Lady Gaga did her thing on the stage.

We were then treated to another behind the scenes package--this time it was all about Harry...and Harry is one funny and entertaining DUDE! Who wouldn't want to hang with this guy?! It was probably the best time these Idols had all season--especially since most of them are lacking that real magnetic personality.

When we returned to the live broadcast (or for those of us on the West Coast the "taped" version of the live broadcast), Harry was on stage croonin' his heart out and showing the Idols how it is done. After Harry did his thing, he re-introduced the Top 5 Idols who faked their way through a medley of Harry's songs

With Lee the only Idol to know his fate, Ryan restarted the eimination process. Crystal was sent to start a group by Harry's piano. Big Mike started a separate group near Ryan. Aaron was asked to join Big Mike and Casey was sent to stand next to Crystal. And then Lee was asked if he could pick the safe group--he couldn't and Ryan didn't make him. Then Ryan announced that Big Mike and Aaron are the Bottom 2. I'm pretty sure that sucking sound you hear is the sound of Casey breathing a HUGE sigh of relief.

Unfortunately for young Aaron, his Idol run came to a screeching halt and Big Mike was sent to the Idol couch to celebrate with the other members of the Idol Final Four. While we watched a video recap of Aaron's time on Idol, it was sad to say good-bye to a good kid with a very good voice. I'm sure this ride on Idol will be but the beginning for this talented 17-year-old country crooner.

Tune in next Tuesday when the Idols take on music from the movies--or so I've heard. Until then I will continue watching TV so you don't have to.

Charlie