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

Idol Worship - The Final Five Take on Old Blue Eyes

Under the guidance of New Orleans native and Grammy winning crooner, Harry Connick, Jr., the remaining five Idols will do their best impression of the leader of the Rat Pack.

Dubbed "The Voice" by many, Frank Sinatra is one of the greatest singers of all time--and one of the most loved performers of the last several generations. The Idols certainly have their work cut out for them, but Harry is just the guy to get them ready for the Idol stage--including playing with the band during the Idol performances.

So let's see how the Idols do when they hit the stage...Hoboken-style!

Before the singing began, two of Frank's daughters who, surprisingly, scored awesome front row seats, gifted an autographed hanky to Simon.

With all of the shenanigans out of the way, it's time to start the show...

Up first, Aaron Kelly singing "Fly Me to the Moon". Sporting a Sinatra-like skinny tie and with his hair swept back, Aaron started out "warbling" more than singing the classic. As he got into the middle section of the song, he seemed to find his groove--and by groove I mean he gave it a bit of a country-twang. The judge's reactions...Randy expressed concern about how he thought Aaron would do, but in the end he thought Aaron handled himself fine. Ellen said she didn't hear any country--WHAT?! Kara didn't think the performance met last week's Twain-theme...she encouraged him to increase the charisma. Simon agreed with Kara, showed off his new hanky, and called Frank the "King of Cool" and said that if "Sinatra was a lion, you (Aaron) were a mouse". Mixed results...could be in trouble come tomorrow's elimination show.

Casey's Sinatra selection was "Blue Skies"--which he paired with a violet shirt with an open neck. With Harry conducting the band, Casey did his thing--to the thrill of the crowd...but the applause died when Randy called it "his (Casey's) worst performance...it was pitchy all the way through"--agreed! Ellen thought it was "stiff" and agreed with Randy's assessment. Kara credited Casey with holding some notes, but then said he "sounded like a lamb with his vabrato". Simon thought Casey came off "nervous and a bit embarrassed". Nothing mixed about that...the performance wasn't good and the judge's comments even worse. To add insult to injury, Harry added a few comments of his own including "you killed it in rehersal". Well, Casey is definitely in trouble--just like last week.

Let's see if Crystal can deliver the first solid performance of the night. Crystal went with "Summer Wind"--a song which she said holds a number of personal references for her. Harry was confused about her song selection, primarily because he wants to know why she chose it. I'm not sure anyone will ever know the reason for her song selection, but from the first note she was head and shoulders above the performances of Aaron and Casey--and she looked nice in her floor length dress...a very appropriate clothing choice given the theme. Here come the judges...Randy struggled to be heard over the crowd and when the cheering ended, he said Crystal's performance was a bit subdued. Ellen felt Crystal was swallowing the words in the beginning (not a compliment). Kara said the song was out of her element (really, Kara!), but credited Crystal with her clever phrasing. Simon wasn't thrilled with the song selection saying it was a bit self-indulgent. He went on to encourage her to turn up the performance if she survives tomorrow night--like there's any chance she's going home.

Looking the part of the 1940's crooner complete with Fedora, three piece suit, and skinny tie, Big Mike took on "The Way You Look Tonight"--one of my favorite Frank tunes. For my money, Big Mike sounded the best of the four Idols who have sung so far. He really appeared comfortable with the song and delivered a strong performance. So, would the judges like it? They haven't liked anything yet. Randy was first up and LOVED it! Ellen agreed with me noting how much Big Mike looked and sounded the part. Kara pointed out that Big Mike took everyone on a journey and still delivered a Big Mike classic! Simon, like Ellen, agreed with me: he was the best so far. It took four performances, but finally the judges had something good to say.

Putting the period at the end of the show, Lee Dewyze went with "That's Life". Harry liked Lee--calling him a younger version of himself! Not bad, but what was better is Harry said his wife, the lovely Jill Goodacre, thinks Lee's cute! But would all of that cuteness translate to the stage? Lee never seems too comfortable on stage and without his guitar he sometimes appears lost, but with Harry and the gang up there with him, I think Lee found his groove. Randy loved the arrangement and thought Lee did a great job. Ellen went a step further saying if tonight was the finale, he would have won the whole thing! Kara asked Lee three times if he thinks he can win--Lee said "yes"...and then Kara told him to go home and write "I can win" about a thousand times. Simon gave Harry credit for not only working well with the Idols, but helping Lee come out of his shy-shell...then said the performance was the best of the night! AGREED!

With all five performances in the can and the voting already under way, I believe the two Idols with the greatest chance of going home are Aaron and Casey. And out of those two, I predict the end of the road for...Casey.

Tune in tomorrow night to see how your votes were distributed and who's Idol dreams have been dashed. As an added bonus, Harry Connick, Jr. and Lady Gaga are scheduled to perform, but not together...at least I don't think so.

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

Charlie

Idol Chatter - Someone's on the Twain Home

One night after getting tips from one of Country music's top performers, we are forced to say good-bye to one of the six remaining Idols. Who will it be? Who didn't get enough of your votes last night to propel them into the final five Idols? Who's shot at instant stardom is going to end tonight? So many questions and but 60 minutes to find the answers.

Elimination night started out with a visit from one of Country's biggest groups performing for the Idol audience. Rascal Flatts took control of the stage and delivered "Unstoppable" in their normal killer way. Lead singer Gary LeVox even found time during his performance walk down to judge's row and shake hands with Simon as well as give a few luck fans a high-five.

A brief interview with the Flatts and a teaser about them singing with Shakira lead into a commercial, the Ford music video (including some behind the scenes footage), and a shameless plug for Shrek Forever After which apparently our boy, Ryan, has a small, but (in his words) pivotal part. When we were brought back to the Idol stage, Ryan was joined by Antonio Banderas (Puss n' Boots) and Cameron Diaz (Fiona).

Antonio was given the honor of starting the elimination process by asking for the lights to be dimmed. Then Ryan formed three groups of two out of the final six Idols.

Siobhan was the first Idol to start a group--at the far end of the stage. Aaron Kelly was told to take his spot on center stage. Big Mike stood next to Ryan. Lee Dewyze joined Siobhan. Casey James was asked to stand next to Mike. And Crystal made her way to the center with Aaron.

With the six Idols paired up, Ryan then grabbed Sioban and walked her over to Big Mike and Casey and announced that they made up tonight's bottom three--oops! That means Crystal, Aaron, and Lee are safe.

Before we will learned anything more about who's time on Idol is over, Ryan told us that next week's guest mentor is Harry Connick, Jr. who will school the remaining five Idols in the songs of Frank Sinatra. Should be a great show.

While that little bit of news marinates in your brains, Carrie Underwood introduced a group with whom she has been making music since leaving the Idol stage--Sons of Sylvia who played a little tune for us. Sons is a trio of brothers who won the "Next Great American Band" reality show a couple of years ago under the name "The Clark Brothers". Their sound is a mix of country, rock, and blue grass...and they're pretty darn good!

Lady Antebellum was the next established group to perform on what is quickly taking the look of the CMAs--lots of music and little talk...a good elimination show indeed. Lady A performed their Platinum earning single "Need You Now".

It just dawned on me that not only is tonight Country music night, but it is also Trio night--first there was Rascal Flatts, followed by Sons of Silvia, and now Lady A. If you include the three sets of two Idols and the B3 that makes five threes--a pretty good hand if you're playing cards in Vegas! :)

Breaking up the run of threes, Shakira joined Rascal Flatts on the stage to perform "Gypsy" as a sort of duet. The Colombian hottie started the song with a harmonica solo and was soon joined by a couple of Gypsy-like dancers. About midway through the song, Shakira and Gary Levox met on the catwalk to sing the chorus together. Ryan was so excited for the song to end so he could have Shakira stand next to him--not because she's a hottie, but because she is shorter than him...probably the ONLY person who is!

Back to the elimination process...Big Mike was the first to be sent back to the Idol couch. That left Siobhan and Casey in danger. A quick break (if you FF through the commercials) and then Ryan announced that Siobhan is going home tonight--Casey lives to sing a Frank Sinatra song next week.

After watching highlights of Siobhan's Idol journey, she reprised one of her biggest moments on Idol by performing "Think" one last time.

Tune in next Tuesday when the Idol 5 take on the Chairman of the Board.

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

Charlie

Idol Worship - Six Idols Get Shania-ed

First a judge and now a mentor, tonight the six remaining Idols go one-on-one with Shania Twain.

• Lee led off the night with his version of "You're Still the One" off of Shania's 1999 album Come on Over . Lee started out a little subdued on the song, but when he hit the chorus, the song really took off for him. His ending was nice as well--the band stopped and he did a little acapella thing. Randy professed his love for the song and Shania and credited Lee with doing a nice job with it. Ellen said Lee "couldn't look cuter" and invited everyone "all aboard the Shania Twain"--complete with fist pump. Kara questioned whether Lee connected with the love song. Simon said it was "absolutely the best song (for Lee) in the Shania Twain songbook", but added that he thought Lee "pulled some funny faces"--Kara was quick to point out that that "funny face was a smile". Oh well, he sang good, got good reviews, and will likely be around for another week.
• When Big Mike got together with Shania, they worked on "It Only Hurts When I'm Breathing". Shania said Mike could sing the phone book, but "don't let that go to your head". With those words of encouragement, Mike hit the Idol steps with just his microphone and some red lighting. As Mike sang this emotional song, the cameras found Shania swaying back and forth in her seat in the front row with what looked like watery eyes. As Big Mike finished, Randy noted his ability to deliver an R&B style song. Ellen compared the performance to the late great Luther Vandross. Kara said she could see Big Mike was obviously connected to the song. Simon agreed with Ellen's comments about Luther, but thought the performance was "wet" which drew odd looks and questions from the other Idol judges. Apparently "wet" means "girly" in Simon-ese.
• When Casey's turn to work with Shania came up, he chose to sing "Don't"--he called it a "singing song". Well, afer a couple of weeks of under delivering, let's see how he sings this "singing song". Casey performed his song on the catwalk behind the judge's table--better to get all of the ladies in the audience all reved up...and reved up they were. It was definitely Casey's best performance in quite a few weeks. When he fininished the crowd (including Shania) went wild. Randy thought it was one of the "best Casey James performances EVER!" and felt Casey may have stumbled upon his true calling as a recording artist. Kara said it was a raw performance and could vault him into the lead. Simon agreed with Randy (that it was his best performance) and "ordered" Casey to "come on down and give this one (Shania) a kiss!" Oh, TORTURE!!!! :)
• So with everyone in good voice tonight, let's see how front-runner, Crystal Bowersox does with Shania's "No One Needs to Know". Shania encouraged Crystal to "be happier in your tone" when she sings the song because of how it applies to her own life (Crystal is trying to get her boyfriend to go to the next relationship level). When we caught up with her on stage, Crystal was flanked by a snare drum player, a gal playing the mandolin, Ricky Minor on the stand up bass, and a steel guitar player as she delivered a somewhat slower version of this wonderful song. As usual, Crystal was solid in her performance, but I'm not sure it stood up to Casey's or the other boys that came before her. Randy agreed (with me) that it wasn't his favorite Crystal performance. Ellen didn't think it was her favorite, but still thought she was brilliant. Kara said it was believable, but still not her best. Simon started out by saying "surprise, this week we didn't like Crystal" and thought it was "limp" and compared the performance to "a coffee shop that hired someone to sing when you didn't want them to". Oh well, even Babe Ruth struck out once in a while.
• So what would 17-year-old Aaron Kelly do with Shania's "You Got a Way"? Shania thought it was the perfect song for him, but she also sensed he wasn't confident in his ability to deliver it. When he hit the stage he was joined by a grand piano and guitar player. Aaron sounded like maybe his teenage nerves were starting to show during the initial part of the song, but he seemed to be getting them under control as he made it to the end. Randy liked the performance and reminded everyone that "this is your wheel house". Ellen pointed out the "depth of emotion and maturity" he showed was beyond his years. Simon said that "if you are going to make records, this is the type of record you should make".
• Siobhan wrapped the show with her version of "Any Man of Mine". Shania encouraged Siobhan to put a little attitude into the song. Sioban had her back up singers on the stage with her along with a steel guitar player--and then she abandoned them in favor of the cat walk where she kind of lost me...and the melody. But she quickly recovered and made her way through the audience and back onto the stage where she finished the song with her patented big note and big finish. I'm not sure that note was enough to cover for all of the other issues. But that's just me. Randy loved the "punk country look and big notes". Ellen was impressed: "way to pull the Shania Twain into the station". Kara: "Guess who's back". Simon said the "screaming at the end sounded like giving birth", but he admitted to liking the song--and he doesn't normally like country.

So it is going to be a tough elimination night tomorrow--there were arguably six very good performances, but somone has to go...and you know who it is going to be? I predict it will be Big Mike...if only because he was so close to going a few short weeks ago.

Tune in tomorrow to see how the votes get tabulated...as usual, I will be here to share every moment with you because I watch TV so you don't have to!

Charlie

Idol Gives Back - Raising Money for those in Need

After taking a year off, "Idol Gives Back" was back on the schedule this year and to kick off tonight's show, we were joined by the President and First Lady. President Obama called the Idol Finalists "my Dawgs!" and Michelle pleaded with Simon to "be nice".

As is always the case on Wednesdays, it is time to say good bye to one of our final Idols, so by the end of the two-hour telethon, there will be but six Idols remaining.

Here's how the night went:

• Ryan introduced Queen Latifah who was hosting the party at the Kodak Theatre.
• The Idol Top 12 were reunited and dressed in white to lip synch a song together--just like old times. There was one particular point in the performance of "Keeping the Dream Alive" when Crystal "pretended" to hit a high note, but even a great singer like Crystal isn't going to be able to lip-synch their way through something that ridiculous.
• Jennifer Garner was the first celebrity to bring a heart-wrenching story. She traveled back to West Virginia where she introduced us to a family who lives in a less than desirable conditions in a trailer home where the family uses kerosene to heat their home and when they don't have kerosene, they use the oven. So sad. The charity that Jennifer told us about was "Save the Kids" which helps children develop literacy, get food and nutrition, and help children escape poverty (www.savethechildren.org). Posh Spice was on the Idol set with Ryan and couple of children who have benefited from this wonderful organization
• Captain Sullenberger asked viewers to call 877 IDOL AID (877-436-5243) or go to www.americanidol.com to donate to the many causes that tonight's show will benefit.
• A little comedy courtesy of Jonah Hill and Russel Brand broke up the serious nature of the night.
• The Black Eye Peas did their thing on "Rock You Body" back at the Kodak Theatre. Fergie was rockin' a metalic unitard and some serious thigh-high boots. After the performance, TV's Todd Bridges was spotted in the crowd--I told you it was going to be a HUGE night!
• Ryan then took us on a tour of a location in Africa where we watched a a young, pregnant mother with malaria suffered through this terrible disease. It was heart breaking to see the husband and would-be father as his wife's pine box casket was lowered into the ground. Ryan reminded us that a $10 mosquito net could have prevented this death. How very sad.
• With the that sad image still on our minds, Ryan tried to lighten things up by telling us about a faux contest to auction off the Idol elimination process. He said that a Mr. Lopez was the highest bidder--as in comedian George Lopez. George went through the "dim the lights...bring up the lights...disco lights..." etc. and then he had the seven Idols stand up and then sit down. Next he turned his attention on the Idol judges...and did a sort of Comedy Roast of them; sending Randy, Kara, and Ellen to safety and telling Simon that if it weren't for the volcanic ash, Simon would be sent back to England.
• Ford music video time...and FF on my DVR remote!
• Finally, some results...Simon asked Crystal and Casey to walk to center stage. He went through the usual judge's comments and then told them that one is safe and the other in the bottom three...based on that lead in there was very little surprise when Ryan announced that Casey will be making his maiden trip to the B3.
• Aaron and Lee were escorted to center stage and Aaron was sent to join Casey.
• We'll have to wait to learn who from the last three Idols, Big Mike, Teflon Tim, and Siobhan is in the B3.
• First, we were treated to a performance of "I Put a Spell on You" by Joss Stone, accompanied by Jeff Beck on guitar.
• Kara took us on a journey back to Africa where we learned that a staggering quarter of a million mothers die during child birth.
• Ban Ki-Moon from the United Nations thanked everyone from their generous support of Haiti and the other tragedies this year.
• Morgan Freeman talked about how fortunate he was to receive a good education growing up in Mississippi and, along with Randy Jackson, shared the story about very poor area within Morgan's home state called Mound Bayou, MS. Save the Children was again highlighted as the charity that helped so many in this long-suffering and struggling town--with literacy, physcial fitness, and other worthy causes.
• Last night's Idol mentor, Alicia Keys, was welcomed to the stage to sing a song. Dressed in a flowing black jumper and with her trademark grand piano close by, Alicia messmerized the audience with the ease with which she delivers such a moving performance of "I'm Ready" followed by "New York".
• After another attempted comedy routine with Jonah and Russell, we were whisked back to the Kodak Theatre for a performance by former American Idol and current two-time ACM Entertainer of the Year, Carrie Underwood who charmed us with "Change"--another hit by the girl who can seemingly make no wrong steps. Carrie selected that particular song because she is going to donate 36 cents from each concert ticket sold on her current tour to "Save the Children".
• We learned about "Feed America", a charity in which David Arquette has been involved for quite some time. Ellen shared the story of a LA-area Math teacher and his family who have had to turn to Feed America to help his family get food when they don't have anywhere else to turn.
• Bill and Melinda Gates, who have been very much involved in the "Save the Children" foundation, were interviewed by Ryan and talked about why they became involved in this charity--to help save children from dying. Sounds simple, but it is wonderful to know that people with this level of wealth actually use their money for good.
• Wanda Sykes came on next to rant about the madness of elimination night--about how before sending someone home they run video clips of happier times...like when they still had hopes and dreams...and then they ask the eliminated one to sing--to prove to America that they got it right by not voting for them. It was mildly entertaining.
• And speaking of eliminations, it's time to find out which of the remaining in-limbo Idols are safe and which one is in the B3--would it be Mike, Siobhan, or Tim? Well, it isn't Siobhan--she's safe. Big Mike was reminded that last year Matt Girard was saved by the judges, but only lasted two weeks before being sent home. But there will not be a repeat as Big Mike is safe and Tim was sent to the B3 stools.
• As Tim made the long walk across the stage, Ryan introduced David Cook who shared his story about Ethiopia where young girls are subject to sex trades, very young marriage (as young as 5 years old), and other awful circumstances. But there is hope and that hope is in the form of Idol Gives Back and the money that is raised by the wonderful charity.
• Annie Lennox brought us the story of a seven-year-old African girl who was born HIV-positive which has developed into full-blown aids. The little girl weighs the same as a one-year-old baby. Her mother died and now the little girl is sick with pneumonia. It is so heart breaking to see these children who were never given a chance. But with the aid of drugs we learned that the litle girl is doing better now--she has gained weight and looks like a normal little seven-year-old. Annie, who couldn't be in LA due to the Icelandic Volcano, sang a song ("Universal Child") from London during which a video of the many children with whom she has worked rolled.
• With time running out on my recording and still no word on who is going home on this emotional night, Mary J. Blige took to the stage along with Idol's Randy Jackson on Bass to perform her awesome version of "Stairway to Heaven". As the cameras made their way around Mary's backing band it was revealed that she was being supported by a veritable who's-who of the Rock world--Travis Barker from Blink 182 was on drums, Orianthi (the guitar virtuoso) was on lead guitar...and then my DVR stopped...

So who got cut tonight? Well, thanks to the wonderful world in which we live, I used other sources to discover how the night ended...and here's what I found: Tim's Teflon coating was no longer able to deflect the lack of votes which means we are down to a six-pack of Idols.

It was another successful "Idol Gives Back"--a lot of money was raised, Idol is getting down to the short strokes, and you are all caught up on your weekly Idol fix.

Tune in next Tuesday when the Idols tackle another (to be learned by me) theme and vie for your votes.

Until them, I will continue to watch TV so you don't have to.

Charlie

www.americanidol.com (please donate!)

Idol Worship - The Idols try to Inspire Your Votes

It's "Idol Gives Back" week and while the Top 7 Idols were singing songs of inspiration under the tutelage of Alicia Keys, I was in Sin City hanging with my entourage at the number one night club in Las Vegas, PURE! So my review comes a night late, but don't worry, I will give it the same treatment as though I watched it live--because that's just how I roll!



So now that I am back in the saddle, let's see how the Idols did.

• Casey was the first of Idols to hit the stage and he selected "Don't Stop" by Fleetwood Mac. The one bit of advice Alicia gave him was to "connect with the song". As he often does, Casey strapped on his electric guitar, was joined by his back up singers on stage, and sang and played his song like a seasoned pro--even taking time out to show off some excellent guitar skills...something I'm sure Simon will note isn't appropriate for a singing competition. Randy was quick to point out that Casey pretty much gave the same performance he always does--agreed, but he's still good. Ellen was a bit harsher and said "no one is going to be talking about that performance"--another good point. Kara expressed frustration and Simon said he showed "zero emotion...and sang it like the original" and topped it all off calling it a "lazy song choice". But the ladies (and I'm sure the men) love Casey, so he's probably safe.


• Following next on stage is former paint salesman, Lee Dewyze, who chose the Simon and Garfunkle classic, "The Boxer". Lee said it was the song that inspired him to learn to play the guitar. Alicia told Lee that he needs to make people believe he is the boxer about which he is singing. With words of encouragement ringing in his ears Lee too his spot on stage with his guitar, the string section on his right, and a piano player on his left. The audience's arms were waving to and fro as Lee poured his emotion into the song. When he finished, Randy had to wait for the cheers to die down before telling Lee that he is an artist with a great career ahead of him. Ellen complemented his song selection and said it was the best performance of the season. Kara said he was connected to the song and had a moment. Simon said the difference between Lee and Casey's performances was "staggering...you made it sound like that song was written last week". High praise and well-deserved.


• Teflon Tim took on the Goo-Goo Dolls "Better Days". Alicia felt it was a good song choice and that he had a good opportunity to make the song his own. Tim pretty much duplicated Lee's stage set up--sans the piano player. Tim is definitely getting better as the weeks go by...and the votes somehow continue to save him, but I was very bored with his performance. I didn't recognize the song and felt it was just a bit....blah. Randy was equally perplexed by the song choice (as me, not Alicia) and thought it was just karaoke. Ellen compared the performance to the "soup of the day...and I didn't like the soup today". Simon thought Tim may have tried to go a step too high this week although he agreed with me about Tim's improvement. He's probably going to be in trouble after the votes are tabulated, but he'll likely be back next week.


• Aaron went with R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly", a song that has been covered about a million times on Idol (including auditions). Alicia cautioned that it is a song that can be over done...and that's just what I anticipate he is going to do. As Aaron took to the stage it was odd to see an Idol without an instrument performing--the first three Idols played guitar, but Aaron just let it fly with a microphone in hand. Randy thought the arrangement was odd, but said he "did a good job with a giant song". Kara felt he struggled in the beginning, but made it work by the end. Simon said if he "heard the song in the real world, I would have turned it off". A. Kelly should join Tim in the worry department--there are just too many better performers left in the contest.


• Our fifth performance was courtesy of Siobhan. The Cape Cod native went with Mariah Carey's "When You Believe". Alicia said she was impressed with Siobhan's voice, but would she do enough to impress the voters? Decorated with colorful butterflies and standing on high, strappy heels, Siobhan gave what appeared to be a very honest performance of a very difficult song. Randy called it "just OK", but Ellen thought it proved why Siobhan is still here. Kara felt it went too "musical" and didn't really work, but said she'd hang out with Siobhan, but struggles to understand the type of artist she is. Simon said he was distracted "by the leaves on the close ups"...and then learned that they were actually butterflies, but that didn't change his opinion--he didn't like the performance.


• With two performances left, Big Mike met with Alicia to work on "Hero" by Nickelback and a song which Mike admitted was out of his comfort zone. Alicia wanted Mike to take the people on a ride during his performance and I think he did as he started slow and built a little drama. The judges didn't feel it was great--Simon going so far as to say "the song was supposed to be about inspiration and it was really about Spiderman". Big Mike said, "no, it's about being a hero". In the end Simon all but assured Mike that he will be back next week...but it's up to the voters, so we'll see what they thought out resident strongman.


• Closing the show for what seems like the millionth time was Crystal Bowersox who took on "People Get Ready" by The Impressions...and just about every great singer of the past 40 years including Rod Stewart. Alicia just knew everyone was going to love it...and why wouldn't they? Crystal is the real deal and delivered an awesome performance--even though it was the first time she did so without an instrument. She struggled to finish the song as her emotions got the best of her. Randy gave her a standing O, Ellen said she never looked more beautiful...and then the DVR recording stopped. I think it is safe to say the rest of the judges no doubt loved the performance.

With all seven inspirational performances in the can, it's time to identify those Idols who are in danger of going home. There were some really great performances (Lee and Crystal) and a bunch of mediocre ones (Casey, Tim, Aaron, Siobhan, and Mike), but the two who I think have a real chance of having their Idols dreams dashed are Tim and Aaron--and I'll predict that Aaron will draw the short straw.

Tune in later tonight to find out which Idols make up the final 6.

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

Charlie

Idol Chatter - Two Idols Have Left the Building

By the time you are finished reading this posting, two of our Idols will be sent home. After the judges used their one and only save of the season keeping Big Mike in the competition, you have to wonder what will happen if one of the favorites finds their way into the bottom two--can the show survive without Crystal? It's just too much to wonder about...let's start the eliminations and see how things go down when Ryan reveals the results of your votes.

Before we can get down business, we must first endure tonight's Idol medley which comes courtesy of the King--first they lip synched their way through "Burning Love" and then tortued us with a "Teddy Bear" followed by "Return to Sender" and then capped the madness with "Viva Las Vegas". Thankfully the medley ended and I used the commercial break to wash the syrup off of the TV.

Ford commercial video over and it is time to start the elimination process.

With the Idols assembled on the couch, Ryan requested Casey, Aaron, and Andrew to stand up and follow him to center stage. Once lined up, Ryan did his thing (recapping the previous nights judge's comments) and then he told Andrew it is the end of the road. His Idol dreams ended, leaving Casey and Aaron safe. Andrew took his last turn on the Idol stage, sang a song, and then thanked everyone for his time on Idol--a graceful exit for a grateful guy.

Before we continued the eliminations, we were treated to a wonderful video updating us on the great things that have come from the Idol Gives Back telethons--after taking last year off, Idol Gives Back will happen next Wednesday so tune in and donate (www.americanidol/idolgivesback.com)

To help get back into the Idol spirit, Ryan welcomed Season 7's Brooke White and Justin somebody to the stage to sing a duet of Elvis' "If I Can Dream". It wasn't a perfect vocal, but it is a great song--nobody could sing it like Elvis, but I'm pretty sure there is no getting Elvis on Idol even if it is the number one rated show on TV!

Back to the eliminations...and the entire back row was invited to the stage. Ryan went down the line: Lee, Siobhan, Katie, Big Mike, Crystal, and Teflon Tim. After going through the judge's comments, Ryan sent Crystal to safety, followed by Siobhan, and then Lee (whom Ryan actually walked back to the couch). That left Katie, Big Mike, and Teflon Tim still wondering whether they received enough of your votes to stay one more week--but they will have to sit tight and wait for Adam Lambert to finish his performace of "Whataya Want From Me" from his album of the same name.

After a long accapella intro bathed in neon green lasers and surrounded by club smoke, Adam and his guy-liner busted out the rest of his rocking song for his still adoring Idol fans. There weren't any controversial kisses or touches, but Adam still delivered his unique flavored performance on the Idol stage.

A few minutes of chit-chat between Adam and Ryan, a quick commerical, and then Ryan sent Teflon Tim back to the couch--the fans had the chance to get rid of him long ago and chose not to, so now we are stuck with him for at least one more week. As Tim settled himself on the couch, Ryan told Katie the bad news--that her ride on Idol has come to an end. Big Mike lives to sing another week.

And so went another Idol elimination night--we said goodbye to a couple of Idol wannabes who got some great exposure and will have the opportunity to tour the nation on the Idol tour this summer.

The lucky 7 remaining Idols will perform inspirational songs next week leading up to the big Idol Gives Back show on Wednesday.

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

Charlie

Idol Worship - The Idols get Glammed

Before the first Idol took direction from last season's Idol runner-up, Adam Lambert, or sang a note of their song, Ryan reminded everyone that after tomorrow night's elimination show, what started out as nine Idol wannabes will become seven! That's right, tonight the Idols are singing for chance to avoid the double-elimination that is going to happen after your votes are tabulated tomorrow because Big Mike was the recipient of one and only Judge's safe.

To get your votes, the Idols will select from the seemingly endless catalogue of the King of Rock 'n Roll--that's right, tonight it is Elvis night!

Here is how things went down...

• Crystal hit the stage first with her electric guitar and three back up singers for a spirited performance of "Saved", one of Elvis' gospel hits. Quick trivia for you--did you know Elvis won three Grammys...and all of them were for Gospel songs! The judges loved her performance--Randy called it "dope"; Ellen wished the audience "Happy Birthday"; and Simon complimented her with "not falling into the Karaoke trap". Crystal is safe and will be around for quite awhile--the only mistake she made was coughing when Ryan was giving out her numbers...oops!
• Up next was Andrew who went with "Hound Dog". Adam Lambert said he was "bored" during their mentoring session and encouraged Andrew to change things up...so what did he do the classic? First off he used one of those old-time microphones and gave the song a bit of a bouncey feel. Then he took said microphone complete with stand on a little trip to the catwalk behind the judge's table to get closer to his fans (and away from the unapproving eyes of the judges?). When judging time came Randy hit him with the "Karaoke" line and said he didn't like it. Ellen was on the other end of the spectrum--she loved it. Kara didn't like it when Andrew dragged the microphone around. Simon compared the performance to "that one scene in a musical that no one wanted to hear"--cue the boos. Andrew is definitely in trouble, but that was to be expected especially with the double-bye-bye tomorrow.
• Teflon Tim Urban sang "Can't Help Falling in Love with You". Tim opted to sit on a stool on the catwalk and accompany himself on the acoustic guitar. Randy liked the performance; Ellen told a story about her first shot of tequilia--not sure she would like it, so she kept on drinking; for Kara it was her favorite Tim performance; Simon said Tim went from "zero to hero in two weeks".
• Adam's advice to Lee Dewyze was to put a little performance into his performance--smile and try to connect with the audience. Appropriately, Lee selected "A Little Less Conversation" to get his point across to the voters. In an effort to get a little closer to the fans, Lee strapped on his acoustic guitar and sang his song on the little platform directly in front of the judges. The crowd seemed to really enjoy the peformance and Lee seemed a little more comfortable, but what did the judges think? Randy called it "another great performance...you're in the zone"; Ellen thought it sounded "current"; Kara credited him with "really going for it", but wanted him to be a little more playful and not so serious; Simon took exception to Kara's "playful" comment and then said Lee "nailed the song, full stop!".
• When Aaron got together with Adam to work on "Blue Suede Shoes", Adam encouraged the teenager to get more aggressive with the song. Aaron started his performance walking down the spiral staircase on the side of the stage, walked to the judges table, and ended up on the catwalk where he touched members of the audience before making his way back to center stage. Randy liked the second half of the song (when he sang half-time/bluesy); Kara liked that Aaron left his comfort zone and sounded younger; Simon disagreed with Kara and said "it was what it was...someone singing at a high school and sounding old-fashioned and Karaoke". Truly a mixed bag...could Young Aaron be in trouble come tomorrow night?
• Channeling her inner Lambert, Siobhan was next on the Idol stage and chose one of the greatest Elvis songs of ALL TIME!--"Suspicous Minds". With her back to the judges (and audience) and her hair in a nice Elvis-like pompadour, Siobhan started on the Idol stairs before making her way to the front of the stage. The song started a bit sleepy, but when she hit the half-way mark she gave it her trade mark big-voice touch. Randy agreed with me that once she broke the song down a bit, it really took off. Kara copped to being confused with the two styles. Simon said she "sounded erratic and screechy".
• Big Mike, or New Life Mike as he is known after getting the Judge's save last week, went with "In the Ghetto". Sitting on the Idol stage and strumming his acoustic guitar, Mike went about telling the story of a young boy born in a bad part of Chicago. It was quite a moving performance and one certainly worthy of the Judge's save. Randy thought it was "sleepy, but hot vocals"; Ellen said she was happy they saved him; Simon said it was one of his favorite Big Mike performances. So with positive judges feedback, it's up to the voters to keep him in the singing contest.
• Katie set off to show the judges how frustrated she has become by asking the musical question: "Baby, What Do You Want Me to Do?" With tons of attitude and the entire brass section joining her on stage, Katie gave the song everything she had. Randy liked the vocals and said he was entertained; Ellen called it a "very horny song...there were a lot of horns in it"; Kara said "you showed us judges"; Simon thought it "was all very loud".
• Casey closed the show with a bluesy version of "Lawdy, Miss Clawdy". With his trademark hair pulled back into a loose pony tail and standing on a small platform to the judges right, Casey seemed right at home singing among his adoring fans. Where some of the other contestants struggle with the type of artist they are or want to be, Casey knows who he is and delivered a good performance. Randy and Ellen would have preferred something a little more; Kara said he "fell short"; and Simon said that while he nailed the vocal, "it was a wasted opportunity".

So who will find themselves in trouble once the votes are tabulated? Andrew is definitely going to have to sweat it out until the results are known. Other who could have their Idol dreams dashed during the double elimination show are Aaron, Siobhan, and Katie. The two Idols who will have plenty of time to visit Graceland after tomorrow night will be Andrew and Katie.

Tune in tomorrow to see Adam Lambert perform for your enjoyment and to say good-bye to two Idols.

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

Charlie

Idol Chatter - Nine Becomes Eight (or does it?!)

Kicking off tonight's elimination show, Ryan told us expect some shocking results based on last night's coast-to-coast voting...now that sounds worth watching.

But you know what isn't (worth watching)? The Idols lip-syncing their way through a medley of Lennon and McCartney hits...but that's what we were tortured with before starting the elimination process.

Thirteen minutes in the show, Ryan asked Siobhan to stand up. He did the usual recap of the judge's comments and then directed her to the center of the stage where she was joined by Crystal and Katie. Then Ryan asked Randy if any of them should be in the B3 based on last night's performance--he said "no" and then Crystal was sent back to the couches followed by the other two girls.

So with all three remaining girls safe tonight, it is going to be an all-male B3.

Before learning the fate of the boys, we learned that next week's Idol mentor is none other than Season 8's Adam Lambert. And then we were treated by a performance by Jason DeRulo, an artist signed by Idols' very own Kara DioGuardi. I couldn't tell you how he sounded because I chose to hit the fast-forward button on my remote...and stopped when Season 6's David Archuleta hit the stage to sing "Imagine" for the 100th time on the Idol stage.

Again my finger found the FF button and I didn't stop this time until Ryan was back at the Idol couch causing the six boys to have heart palpitations.

Ryan told us he was going to split the boys into two groups of 3. He started with Lee Dewyze who was asked to walk to the far side of the stage. Michael Lynch stood up and was sent to the near side of the stage. Casey James joined Lee. Aaron Kelly got a few tips from Simon before he was asked to stand next to Big Mike. That left Tim Urban and Andrew Garcia on the couch. Tim was told to join Lee and Casey--which could be the twist that Ryan suggested was coming at the top of the show. So what would Ryan do with Andrew Garcia? He joined Mike and Aaron.

With the boys evenly divided and standing on either side of him at Center Stage, Ryan asked Ellen which group of boys made up the B3. She selected the group with Mike, Aaron, and Andrew--and the boos began causing Ellen to change her mind...but before the boos could change to cheers or any other noise, Ryan stepped in and said she had it right the first time. Mike, Aaron, and Andrew were in the B3 while Lee, Casey, and Teflon Tim were safe!

Ryan sent Aaron back to the safety of the Idol couch leaving Michael and Andrew to sweat it out and do their best to be entertained by Rihanna who was welcomed to the stage in a cat woman outfit. But I wasn't fooled by the outfit, I found zipped through her performance and a number of commercials because I couldn't wait to see who was in danger of going home.

And that Idol was...Michael Lynche who was asked to sing for the judges and their "save". To help them make up their mind, Big Mike went with This Woman's Work", the same song that brought Kara to tears just a few short weeks ago. While his wife openly weeped in the audience, Big Mike delivered an emotional performance, but would it be enough?

Simon was called upon to deliver the news--would the judges use their one save tonight leading to a double-elimination next week or would they save their save for another night? Simon did a bit of bait and switch and then said "see you next week". Judge's save used and from this point forward your votes will decide who stays and who goes.

And that is how we started the night with nine Idols and we still have nine, but that won't be the case one week from tonight when we will start with nine and end with SEVEN!

Tune in next Tuesday and see how the Idols working with one of their own.

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

Charlie

Idol Worship - The Top 9 take on Lennon and McCartney

Well it's Wednesday night and that normally means we are eliminating an Idol, but tonight is going to be a little different since I decided to take a mini-vacation with my lovely wife. Instead of watching (and reporting) on Idol last night, we spent the day/evening watching movies and walking around beautiful downtown San Francisco. If you get the chance, check out "Chloe" (Very Hot!) and "City Island" (Funny and Clever).

Back to tonight--I am going to quickly review last night's performance show and then step you through the elimination process which will leave us with 8 Idol wannabes by the end of the evening.

So without anymore delays, let's start the show...

The Idols had the entire Lennon and McCartney songbook from which to chose their song and, as you know, song choice is always at issue with these budding singers.

• After being compared to Yoda from Star Wars by his Idol family, Aaron took on "The Long and Winding Road". With what is quickly becoming his signature style, Aaron gave the song a sweet Country feel and the crowd did they patented arms above the head wave in support of the 16-year-old singing a song nearly three times his age. Randy didn't like the arrangement and felt it was sleepy; Ellen thought it was a long and winding song; Kara felt it was more of the same week after week and urged him to pick up the pace; Simon quizzed Aaron on why he selected the song and then called the performance old-fashioned and boring.
• Katie, whom her Idol mates think of as fun and little sisterly, selected "Let it Be" from the thousands of songs available. As I listened to her performance, I thought back to the Simon-Kara debate about the type of artist Katie should be/become--Simon feels she would make a good Country artist while Kara thinks she is more suited for the pop/R&B lane. I tend to agree with Simon--her voice is a better fit for Country radio. Randy loved Katie's performance calling it her best; Ellen guaranteed Katie won't make a return visit to the B3 (as she has done the past couple of weeks); Kara gave her props for coming back from some pretty good thumpings from the judges; and Simon took the credit for her success tonight backing me up on my argument that she sounded more Country than R&B (in spite of Kara's doing her best Mariah Carey impression)...the debate continues!
• Our next performance was courtesy of Andrew Garcia whom his fellow Idols think has the most personality--which flies in the face of Simon saying he has no personality which constantly puts him in a jam with the voters at home. To try to win a few of your votes Andrew went with "Can't Buy Me Love" and opted to perform it on the little stage-like area behind the judge's table. It was an interesting interpretation--kind of a upbeat, jazzy style and pretty catchy. Randy thought it was a little "corny" at times; Ellen loved it calling it the "perfect song choice"; Kara wanted to like it, but didn't "see anything new this week"; Simon compared it to going to a "wedding and having the lead guitarist sing a song" and then further saying that both he and the band "got it wrong this week".
• Michael Lynche was compared to a big Teddy Bear and generally loved by the other Idols. His song choice was "Eleanor Rigby" and chose to perform it surrounded by the string section. It was quite dramatic especially when you consider the red and blue lighting. Randy had a love/hate relationship with the performance; Ellen gave him credit for changing the song so much; Kara called the vocals "on fire" and stole my "drama" description; Simon thought the song was more appropriate for a musical and didn't move Big Mike forward and admitted confusion about the type of artist he will become.
• Idol front-runner, Crystal Bowersox, or Mama Sox to her Idol cast mates, performed "Come Together". Accompanied by a man playing a Didgeridoo (a long wind instrument created by the native Australians), Crystal gave her typical solid performance. As usual the judges loved her and gave her serious props (well-deserved), the only negatives were Randy's distraction with the Didgeridoo and Ellen's struggle to find new ways to tell Crystal how great she is. Kara thought it was her best performance of the night and Simon credited her with being true to herself.
• Teflon Tim, or the Idol with Nine Lives as I like to think of him, was praised by his fellow Idols for always being upbeat and smiling. To earn your votes and to escape the judges negative feedback, Tim selected "All My Loving". I thought his performance, while likely his strongest to date, was still far below the others. The judges comments were generally positive--a first, but Randy's were the most interesting: he decided to judge Tim based on a what he called a "Tim Performance". But most of Randy's time was spent commenting on Tim's Beatles-do. Ellen said it was his "second-best performance after "Hallelujah"". Kara and Simon both felt he did much better this week; Simon disagreed with Randy's rating scale and gave Tim credit for taking all of the criticism from previous weeks "like a man"--good point, Simon, but I still don't think it was a performance worthy of Tim still being on the show.
• The resident heart-throb, Casey James, was compared to a Soap Opera star by the other Idol contestants and outed for what apparently is an overly-boisterous laugh. With the echos of his laugh still reverberating backstage, Casey hit the Idol stage with his acoustic guitar and a cello player and gave his all on "Jealous Guy". Randy called the performance "heartfelt"; Ellen thought it was his "best performance to date"; Kara said he "showed a level of vulnerability...depth" and implored him to go deeper. Simon told "Goldilocks (aka Casey)" that he just delivered the performance of the night.
• Siobhan was called "amazing" by her cast mates and credited with having a great voice--even "ridiculous" as Katie called it. Siobhan went with a subdued version of "Across the Universe". As has become her custom, Siobhan couldn't help but climb the ladder and hit a high note or two, but she did show some restraint and kept it just a couple and delivered a very controlled performance. Before offering his thoughts on her performance, Randy noted that "no one else in the competition screams artist more than you (Siobhan)" based on her outfits and style, but also said the performance was a little sleepy. Ellen found the performance beautiful. Kara gave her props for hitting the notes, but didn't groove on the control and restraint which she showed--it confused her because it was different than what she grown accustomed to seeing from Siobhan. Simon started his critique by asking Siobhan what she was connecting to while singing to which she told the story about not allowing this contest to change her.
• Lee closed the show, but not before we learned that the rest of the Idols called him the resident Worry-Wart and that he and Andrew are all tight. For his number, Lee chose "Hey Jude" because he felt he could connect with the song. As Lee was about half-way through what was a pretty solid performance, Lee was joined on stage by a lone 'Piper! While giving their critiques of his performance (generally good), the judges couldn't help but add their thoughts about Lee's "band mate": Randy found the Piper "funny" and confessed that he (Randy) almost wore a kilt (SCARY!); Ellen offered to help "that guy who got seperated from his parade" find his way back; Simon questioned what the Idols have been drinking ("first with the Didgeridoo and now with the Bagpiper"), but also complemented Lee on a strong performance (at least until the 'Piper walked down the steps).

And so another performance show is over and now it is time to pick the unlucky three who will be in the Bottom 3. My predictions are: Andrew, Tim, and Katie with Andrew going home--Tim's still got the "Vote for the Worst" vote in his hip pocket, so there's no getting rid of him until a few more weeks.

Tune in again in about 60 minutes to see who was safe and who went home after your votes were tabulated.

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

Charlie

Idol Thoughts - And then there were Nine

Another Wednesday, another Idol sent home--the only question: whose Idol adventure is cut short? Read on to find out how things went down on tonight's show...and to save you even more time than usual, let's just assume all of the normal tom-foolery goes on--stuff like the Idol group sing, the Ford commercial starring the remaining Idols, and other silly stuff that leads us up to one Idol leaving the stage for the last time.



Before any elimination stuff could go down, Ryan invited Reuben Studdard--aka the Velvet Teddy Bear and Season 2's Idol winner to the stage to sing a song...likely off of his new album. Reuben appeared to have dropped a few L-B's and was looking mighty smart in his shiny, charcoal three-button suit. He sounded good and seemed to really enjoy being back on the Idol stage. After the song Ryan inquired about Reuben's recent wait loss to which he said he is now a Vegan and working out.



Old Idol out of the way, it's time to find out who's safe and who's going to be around for another week to sing for your votes and move one step closer to the ultimate goal of becoming crowned the Season 9 American Idol.



Ryan started with Lee Dewyze. After a recap of the judges comments including Simon's "it was the night of your life", Ryan told Lee to sit down, he's safe! Casey James was next and Ryan asked him how he is going to challenge himself as some of the judge's suggested he do if he moves forward. Casey struggled to come up with a good answer, so Ryan stopped him and told him he is safe this week. Aaron Kelly was put through the torture of listening to the judges bantering with Ryan about how young Aaron is supposed to sing about love having never been in love. After all of that, Aaron was safe. So that leaves Siobhan and Katie--one of these girls is going to be asked to take the first seat on the elimination stools. And that Idol wannabe is...Katie. Siobhan is safe, but was reduced to tears as Katie made the long walk across the stage and the judges continued their debate about the type of artist Katie should be.



With the remaining five Idols still wondering their fate, Ryan found Justin Bieber--the 15-year-old YouTube wonder and Usher protege in the audience. And speaking of Usher, as the guest mentor this week, he was asked to perform a song complete with his sexy dancers.



Back to the elimination process...



Didi was run through the drill and asked about her use (or lack of use) of the guitar and then she was told to join Katie on the stools. Michael Lynche rose from the couch, listened to more judge's comments, and then was asked to walk over to Ryan's pedestal where he learned he was safe and then treated Ryan like a rag doll. No shock here--Crystal was safe. Two Idols left on the couch and one stool still vacant--would that stool hold Tim Urban or Andrew Garcia? Tim was made to explain his constant smiling--he's clueless...and in danger of going home because he is the third member of the Bottom 3. Andrew lives to sing another week.



As usual, Ryan sent one B3 back to safety and this week's lucky stay goes to Katie. So will the ride end for Idol's version of the "Cat with 9 Lives" or are we going to say goodbye to a talented singer who just can't seem to pick the right song enough to gain a following?



To find out we have to wade through a number by Diddy himself...or you could do like I did and fast forward through it.



And now for your results...Tim is safe and Didi is in danger of going home unless the judges use their save. To help sway their decision Didi selected "Rihanna" by Fleetwood Mac as her "save me" song. And as the judges deliberated...my DVR recording shut down and I was forced to go to my back up Tivo for the final results--thank God for technology.



So will the judges use their save? Simon was the bearer of the good or bad news and he took his time delivering the verdict which was...NO! Didi's ride is over and Idol is all the worse for it--it's no secret that I think Tim should have gone home long ago. Didi is going to be missed as we make our way to finding this Season's Idol.



And that's how things went down tonight. Tune in next Tuesday when the Idols perform for your votes. Until then, I will continue watching TV so you don't' have to.



Charlie