AI Season 8: Final 2 perform

This is it, kids! Probably the most exciting season finale since last season's showdown between Archuleta and Cook. Similarly to last year we have two very different singers and it could really be anyone's win at this point. Will I vote? I've only voted once in my long history with AI: for Carrie Underwood. I doubt I will be voting tonight but Adam Lambert might just win me over.

I am recapping this without my trusty recapping partner, DH, who is up in Boston for a couple of days. But Cameron has been asleep since 8 PM and I have a large glass of wine sitting next to me so here we go!

This is American Idol.

Remember how far we've come since the auditions? Who knew Lil Rounds would crap out with her terrible song choices? Or Danny Gokey's widower-hood wouldn't see him through to the finals? Or that my dreams of winning my AI pool would be over in the very first week with Jasmine's elimination? Good times.

Ryan introduces the judges and I say a little prayer that Kara won't be returning next season (although reports say she will) and Simon will ink a multi-year deal. Because really, who else could be so honest and spot on with the judging?

Ryan then introduces Kris and Adam. Wow, I don't think I ever realized how short Kris is. He's even smaller than Ryan.

The format for this episode is the following:

• Favorite performance from the season
• A song selected by Simon Fuller (it used to be Clive Davis but considering his cadaverous appearance last season I'm not surprised he's not there)
• The "winning" single to be released

Ryan tells us that the show will go long so we need to set our DVRs accordingly. Well, it's 9:05 as I start this so you all might be missing out on the last few minutes. Hopefully it's just filler.

Adam starts us off and we're told that he didn't sleep through the night until he was 18 months old. If Cameron pulls that crap with me I'm looking into a return policy. He goes with "Mad World" from the "Songs from the year they were born" week. He does just as well, if not better this time around. I really like when he slows things down because he tends to pick more manic songs. Randy is wearing a suit (odd choice for him) and likes the choice of the sensitive song. He gives Adam and A+. Kara also praises the song choice. Paula looks a little too tan in her lime green shirt. She tells Adam to bask in the adoration of the crowd and also likes the subdued performance. Simon called the performances a little over-theatrical but I wonder if he's trying to be a little disparaging to get voters to call in...

Kris is the antithesis of Adam in his shyness according to his parents. Ryan shells for iTunes and American Idol banks another million. Kris goes with "Ain't No Sunshine" accompanied on the piano. Kris was given the money spot on the first performance of this song and it was well deserved then as it is now. Both he and Adam did a great job picking their best performances from the season. I like this aspect of the final show. The camera flashes on his wife (yes, he has a wife not that the producers are advertising that!) and she is wearing some kind of prom dress. Randy called it one of Kris' best performances. Kara agrees with Randy. Paula says Kris "awakens the spirit." Simon takes back his doubt of Kris as a finalist and thinks he won Round 1.

"Change Is Gonna Come" is Simon Fuller's selection for Adam Lambert. Adam starts it out slow and looks pretty slick in his shiny grey suit. There is no doubt that Adam is by far the more polished and energetic performer of the two. I can absolutely see him headlining his own tour. I eagerly anticipate when Adam steps it up on the song which he does by launching into his falsetto. Another great performance. Randy said Adam can sing his face off. Kara called it his best performance and interpretation of the song. It's a love fest up there. Paula stands up and swings her arm in a lasso motion around her head. I wonder if she got a little too much sun. Simon said Adam is back in the game.

Kris gets "What's Going On" and apparently Simon Fuller is a big R&B fan. Kris "Jack Johnsons" it up with some acoustic guitar and bongo drums. Or whatever those big drums are. He does a good job but it doesn't hold a candle to Adam's performance. I predict Simon will call Round 2 for Adam. Randy thought that the song was a little "light" and I can agree with that. Kara liked the message of the song but didn't really talk about his performance. Paula said Kris made Marvin Gaye proud. Simon loved the song but didn't like the arrangement. Simon calls Round 2 to Adam. It's like Simon and I have a mind meld.

Adam gets the "privilege" of singing the first "single" song. I hate this part of AI. Aside from Kelly Clarkson's first single, they tend to not be very good. It's just not a good indication of what they will end up recording. But whatever, we all know it's part of what AI is all about. Adam sings about climbing a mountain and getting through the pain. He does his best to rock it out but the lyrics are inane to say the least. The crowd goes wild for some reason. Randy thought it was "a'ight" and a little pitchy. Kara apparently helped write the song and was moved by Adam's performance. Paula claims that adjectives can't express what she feels. I'm sure she'll try though. Simon makes fun of the mountains and the hurricanes lyrics (mind meld!) but calls Adam the best and most original contestant they've had. He believes Adam can be a worldwide star. Big praise from the big judge.

We see commercial 1000 for "Glee" and I break down and record it. Kris gets the same song, "No Boundaries." He starts out a little weak and appears to miss a few words in the first verse. He is definitely not as comfortable with the song as Adam was. In fact, I would call it one of his weakest performances on the show. I think Kris just gave Adam the win. But let's see what the judges think. Randy thinks Kris should be proud of himself (sounds like a pity comment to me) but that the pitch was a little too high for him. Kara doesn't want Kris to be judged on that song but rather on the whole season. Paula agrees with Kara. Simon thinks Kris deserves to be in the finals.

So, who wins? It should be Adam but it could be Kris with his cuteness and tween vote. Although I thought that similar combination would put David Archuleta on top but America surprised me then. Will they make the right choice and go with Adam this year? We'll find out tomorrow!

For the last time this season (because I refuse to recap the two hours of filler that is the results show), SJ out.

AI Season 8: Top 3 perform judges' picks

Allison's dismissal last week leaves us with an all male finale for the second year in a row. I'm trying to remember if there has ever been an all female finale but I can't remember any. I assume it is mostly tween girls who vote which is why we are more likely to have guys in the finale than girls. What happened to girl power? Someone needs to get these tween girls in line.

Ryan informs us this is the 300 episode. I'd be more impressed if 200 of them weren't auditions.

I'm still holding strong with predicting Adam Lambert as the winner. He got some unasked for publicity from Entertainment Weekly last week with a cover article questioning his sexual orientation. A little in bad taste if you ask me. You didn't? Too bad. I haven't really thought much about whether he is gay or not. Instead I focus on his over the top theatrics and fashion styling.

Paula selects a song for Danny Gokey and goes with "Dance Little Sister" by Terrence Trent Darby. Paula tells us it's because of a similarity in magical voices. I yawn. I feel like whoever Paula selects a song for should get a handicap. Girl is crazy. DH claims I should know this song but I totally don't. I think that's really going to hurt Danny. A recognizable song always helps. He does his Danny thing and I'm a little bored at this stage in the competition. Here's hoping his next song is better. DH informs me it was a really good performance and I am biased because I don't know the song. Randy agrees with DH so I am apparently wrong. Kara slams Danny's dancing but Paula pulls out her choreographer's card and says he did great. Simon thought the vocals were good but the dancing was desperate.

Kara and Randy team up to select Kris Allen's song. Apparently I can't count because I never even thought about the 4 judges and 3 contestants ratio. Perhaps it's because I assume Kara is not going to be around next season? Although Simon told Oprah he wasn't going to do another season after next year. Gasp! Let's hope that the producers throw so much money at him he signs up for many more years. "Apologize" by One Republic is the song given to Kris. He decides to accompany himself on the piano. It's actually a really good song choice for Kris - he would totally put out an album like the Fray or O.A.R. or any other trendy group these days. Kris does a really nice job and is definitely helped by the current popular song selection (take that Paula!). Randy likes the performance but Kara thinks he should have made it more his own. Paula notices a sour note but is proud of him. Simon disses both Paula and Kara in his commentary and thinks it was a decent performance.

Is anyone surprised that Simon got to select the song for Adam Lambert? Didn't think so. He goes with "One" by U2 after receiving explicit permission from Bono. Adam changes the arrangement (natch) and really uses his falsetto. Randy called the vocals unbelievable. Kara agreed and loved the arrangement. Paula called it superb. Simon complimented the song selection (ha!) and said it was a brilliant performance. He and Paula agree that it would be a travesty if Adam wasn't in the finals next week.

Randy then throws the show over to Idol Gives Back. As much as I like Carrie Underwood, this is not why I watch the show every week.

For his own selection, Danny Gokey goes with "You Are So Beautiful." Is there any woman who doesn't love this song? I am shocked that Ryan didn't use this opportunity to remind the audience about Danny's dead wife. There hasn't been a mention of her in weeks. Danny has a Joe Cocker type voice so this could be good. He changes up the arrangement enough to make it his own but still keep it as a sweet ballad. Randy said Danny can really, really, really sing. He needed those two extra "reallys" to really mean it. Kara called it stunning. Paula was breathless. Simon said it was a vocal master class.

Kris decides on "Heartless" by Kanye West. Does anyone else besides me think that Kanye is a total poseur? Do you like fish sticks? (Two points if you know what that means.) Kris accompanies himself on the guitar which makes me think he is trying to one-up the others with his musicality. He shouldn't worry because he has the cuteness factor going for him. I don't know the song (see above for opinion on Kanye West) but Kris does a decent job. I hear a few sour notes but it's good. Randy liked Kris' version better than the Fray's (they did it?) or the original. Kara called it bold, brave and fearless. And then tucked her thesaurus under the table. Paula said Kris is relevant. Simon thinks Kris redeemed himself .

And saving the best for last Adam picks "Cryin'" by Aerosmith. I loved this video and it launched Alicia Silverstone's career. Remember when she was more than just a vegetarian? Adam starts the song and I am completely distracted by the loudness of the background singers. But when they final shut up Adam does his usual bang up job. He doesn't change much in the arrangement. I am not completely wowed and kind of wish Adam selected a more unusual song. Randy loved it. Kara was amazed by the range of his voice. Paula said Adam would be flying for free and I scratch my head. Simon urges the audience to vote for Adam and not just assume he will be in the finals. Good point.

Who's out? I said last week it should be Danny and it should have been. So I'm going with him again this week. What do the rest of you think?

SJ out.

AI Season 8: Top 4 perform rock

Ryan opens the show by telling us that the contestants didn't have a proper dress rehearsal because of some sort of stage collapse. We also find out that they will performing individually and in duets. That's new and could be exciting. Group performances are always a disaster but duets could be good.

Slash is this week's mentor and DH was thrilled to hear about it. Theoretically this week's theme should benefit Allison and Adam the most but Kris and Danny have a way of surprising us. Slash seems very mellow and cool but the dude is also very unattractive. Hey, I just live in a superficial world, I don't run it.

Adam picks "A Whole Lot of Love" by Led Zeplin. He's rocking it out with the eye liner and leather jacket. His voice is great, as always, but his performance is a little manic for my taste. I just feel like he's trying too hard. The last few notes were awesome but I wasn't wowed by the performance overall. Randy thinks that Adam transcended his Broadway roots (I'm paraphrasing). Kara is dressed in theme and calls him a rock god. Paula tells Adam he was perfect. Simon called the performance "understated" with his usual tongue in cheek commentary. He goes on to say it was awesome and will be hard for the other contestants to top.

Allison was introduced to Adam's hair stylist and is sporting some blue streaks in her pink hair. I think it looks good. She decides on "Cry Baby" by Janis Joplin with Slash's advice and I am excited to hear her sing it. A great song selection for her. She sings the crap out of the song and I'm very impressed. Randy disagrees with me about her song choice because of the lack of melody (agreed) but thinks she can "sing her face off." Kara thinks she shows a lot of personality in her performance. Paula calls her fearless. Simon thought it was a great vocal but the performance was a little too reminiscent of Janis Joplin.

"Renegade" by Styx is the first duet for Kris and Danny. Kris' vocal styling isn't very well suited to the song so Danny shows him up a bit here. But they both look like they are having fun. Over all the performance was a little weak which I attribute to a lack of cohesion in the duet. Randy liked the harmonies (I assume he means in the chorus which I agree). Kara thought the sum of the parts was greater. I wonder why we need judges' commentary hear. Paula called it powerful. Simon said Danny was better than Kris and I think he didn't really get the point of a "duet."

Kris picked the Beatles "Come Together" which is a differnt vibe from the other two songs we've heard so far. Slash wasn't very effusive in his comments so I'm not expecting much here. And I'm right - a boring performance. Randy liked the vocals and loved the guitar action. Did I mention that Kris accompanied himself on the guitar? I was really bored. Kara didn't think it was a good performance. Paula praised his artistic delivery. Simon didn't like it and equated it to eating ice at lunch.

Danny picked an Aerosmith song, "Dream On." I am a little nervous for him because it can be hard to top Steven Tyler's performance. He does a good job but the ending is rough. Danny makes the last note OK but the ones leading up to it are very screechy. Randy called it "alright." Kara is glad he added swagger and edge to his performance but would have preferred a different song selection. Despite being up and dancing Paula didn't think it was a good song selection but gives him an A+ for effort. Simon said the last note was like watching a horror movie. But Simon still thinks Danny will be safe.

The last song of the night is a duet between Allison and Adam. They are singing "Slow Ride" by Fog Hat. It is a much better performance than the first duet. In fact, it feels really professional to me. Is it weird that Adam's voice is higher pitched than Allison's? They both do a great job and I can see why this closes out the show. Randy called it "da bomb." Kara said it was a great duet. Paula called it a perfect marriage. Simon thinks that the duet could have given Allison a chance to stay in the competition.

So, who is out this week? Tough call. I'm leaning towards Kris or Danny being sent home. What do you think?

SJ out.

AI Season 8: Top 5 perform the Rat Pack

And here we are at our Top 5. I am predicting even before watching the show that Matt Giraud will be the next person kicked off.

Tonight are standards from the Rat Pack and I have a feeling tonight will be really, really good. If you want some predictions about what people will be singing what, check out Jordan's blog.

For some reason Jamie Foxx is selected as this week's mentor. Apparently he is classically trained and has a top selling R&B album. I had no idea. I still think he's an arrogant jerk, but let's see if he gives any good advice.

Up first is Kris Allen who could be in the finals. He's just so darn cute! He picks "The Way You Look Tonight" and I melt a little. I love that song. Jamie Foxx seems impressed with his vocals. Kris decides to sing it straight in the beginning rather than play with the arrangement. He does a nice job of showcasing his range and smooth voice but it's kind of a boring performance. It picks up a little at the end and I kind of wish it stayed in the slower arrangement for the whole song. I would be shocked if he goes home given his ginormous fan base. Randy called it his best performance to date. Kara said Kris set a technical standard. Paula slobbered over him and Simon pulled us back to reality by calling it a little bit "wet."

The last girl in the competition is up next. Who could have predicted that Allison would be the final woman standing? Not I. Which is why the Top 36 performances was such crap. No more of this Group A, B and C and only one performance before the Top 12 are selected. Allison looks lovely and celebrated her 17th birthday so Randy can stop with the "she's only 16" BS. She selects "Someone To Watch Over Me" and I think it's a great song choice for her voice. Jamie tells her to "feel her family" while singing and I roll my eyes. I absolutely love Allison's performance and think that it is her best in terms of a vocal performance. Randy called it the bomb, Kara thinks she will sail through to the next round, Paula called her alluring and tender and actually made a lot of sense. Simon thought it was a great performance but isn't sure that Allison believes she can win. I can't disagree.

Matt Giraud is up and you know he is shitting himself with how much he loves this week's theme. He pulls out the lame hat and I wish Anoop was sitting there instead. He decides on "My Funny Valentine" and I have to give him props since it's a challenging song. Jamie tells him to change the key. The beginning starts off a little rough for me; it seems pitched too low for him. He really picks up stride with the second verse but it's still not a wow performance for me. Randy said it was a little pitchy (agreed), Kara didn't think he was the "leader of the pack" or emotionally connected to the song. Paula loved what he did (natch) and Simon disagrees with Randy. Color me shocked. I still think he's going home, regardless of what Simon said.

Danny Gokey gets the fourth spot and decides on "Come Rain or Come Shine." Jamie Foxx gets "all up in his grill" and I loose whatever little respect I have for the man. Danny definitely puts a blue-sy spin on the song and it sounds really good. He is another contender for the finals with Adam. Is anyone thinking Adam won't be in the finals at this point? Danny gives a really energetic performance and the crowd eats it up. Randy thinks he could have an album of songs like what he just sang. Kara said he had Rat Pack swagger and Paula called it stellar. Simon said Danny proved a point. He wasn't clear on what point but I have to assume it was that he belongs in the finals.

Adam picks "Feeling Good" and is wearing a totally awesome white suit. Ever with the theatrics, he starts on the stairs under a white spotlight. He pulls out the gay for this song and it is completely perfect. There is a reason he got the money spot this week (not that he probably doesn't deserve it every week). This kid is making it whether he wins AI or not. He proves my point by singing a long note that must last at least a minute. Absolutely his best performance yet and probably the best of the entire competition. No joke. Randy said it was a little Broadway but in the zone. Kara calls it a whole bunch of acronyms. Paula decides he makes her feel good. Better than the drugs she's on? Simon recognizes that Adam wants to win and loved the entrance.

So, who's out? I'm still sticking with Matt Giraud but Allison could be in trouble too. What do you think?

SJ out.

AI Season 8: Top 7 (again) perform disco

According to Seacrest, Idol history was made last week with the judges' save of Matt Girard. But two will be going home this week meaning we will have our top 5 next week. I predict prior to the performances that Lil and Matt will be gone. Let's get started and see how the performances are this week!

Lil is up first and she picks "I'm Every Woman" which is not too surprising. Is there any big voice song she hasn't picked yet? Per usual she also decides to sing the song straight and not change it up with some R&B flair. I think that last season with David Cook's success with arrangements has really raised the bar. Lil can't surpass it and doesn't even come close even with her big pipes. Despite her energetic performance (or perhaps because of it) parts of the song felt screechy to me. Let's see what the judges think. Randy trotted his "what kind of artist are you?" comment out. Kara likes the song selection but wasn't wowed. Paula tries to sell us the "she's sick" excuse but agrees with Kara. Simon thinks that Lil looks sad and she talks back again. He tells her that she's going home and I agree.

Next is Kris Allen and he decides to bring out his guitar. I am surprised by his song selection, "She Works Hard For The Money" by Donna Summer. He smartly slows the song song and makes it sound contemporary and really good. I have a feeling the judges are going to salivate over his performance. Kara thinks the risk Kris took with the arrangement really paid off. Paula compares it to Santana and I completely agree. I notice that Simon is wearing an undershirt as his shirt and it kind of creeps me out. He thinks it was a fantastic performance and Randy agrees. I kind of like that the judges got in additional digs at Lil with their praise of Kris. Just the kind of snark I enjoy.

Danny selects "September" by Earth, Wind and Fire. DH thinks it is a great song for Danny's voice. I don't think he emotionally connects with the song like most of his previous performances but he still does an excellent job. I mean, it's not like the song lends itself to emotion like most of his other song selections. What's great about Danny is he doesn't have a great range but he uses his voice to it's utmost and it sounds great, every time. Randy thinks he really worked it. Kara was worried but thinks he is an incredible vocalist. Paula thinks he showed vocal brilliance and has a sexy voice. Simon agrees with the other judges but didn't think the performance had star power.

Allison goes with Donna Summer's "Hot Stuff" and also decides to change the arrangement. She starts off slow and then throws in some rock arrangement. It really works for her and for me. Allison is totally going to be the last girl standing in this competition. Randy thought the arrangement was a little over indulgent but Allison is a great singer. Kara completely agreed with Randy. Paula babbled. Simon called it a brilliant performance. I love when he agrees with me.

Adam Lambert does not get the money spot despite my prediction. He also goes with the "straight" appearance this week. The one thing that really bugs me about Adam is I think he's always performing. He never seems natural to me in his interviews or "off the cuff" comments. But there is no denying he is the one to beat this season. Adam does "If I Can't Have You" from Saturday Night Fever. He really slows the song down and does all kinds of vocal acrobatics. The camera pans to Paula at one point and I swear she is crying. Randy thinks Adam is ready to make his album. Kara calls him inspiring and Paula has a visceral response to his performance. I'm impressed she used that word correctly. Simon loved everything about the performance.

Matt Giraud goes with the classic Bee Gees "Stayin' Alive" and I immediately wince. There are very few people who can pull off this song (see Adam) and Matt isn't one of those. DH comments that he's thinking of infant CPR during the performance. This song is what they recommend you think about while performing CPR. Ironic, no? Matt does a good job but the performance is a little manic for me. With all the other performances tonight and Anoop in the money spot Matt is going home this week. Randy doesn't like the song choice but thinks Matt is talented. Kara called it a solid performance. Paula uses a bowling metaphor that didn't work for me. Simon completely panned the performance and called it desperate. Agreed.

Up last is Anoop and he also selects a Donna Summer song, "Dim All The Lights." I am immediately thrown but the 'stache he is growing. Who on earth told him that was a good idea? I mean, I know that the disco era involved a lot of facial hair but does it need to be recreated here? I think not. He does a good job but I am not wowed. Randy didn't love the arrangement but loves the talent of the Top 7. Kara thinks it was a good song choice and a great performance. Paula compliments his pink shirt and facial hair. Considering she is often on "Worst Dress" lists I will disregard her fashion comment. Simon disagreed with the other judges and called the performance mediocre.

So, who is out? I'm still sticking with Lil and Matt but Anoop is in danger too. There's your bottom three.

SJ out.

Judges' "super power" to the rescue?

I was a little surprised to see Anoop in the bottom three last night although I guess Kris Allen is just too damn cute to be at risk. Hey, it's the girl tweens voting, not me! Joining Anoop were Matt Girard (again) and Lil Rounds. Once Anoop was declared safe I assume Matt would be going home. And he would have, if not for the super power awarded to the judges this season. Personally I think they just delayed the inevitable and Matt will be one of the double elimination next week, but I could be wrong. I also think it's kind of a waste of the veto because does anyone really think Matt will win the whole thing? Didn't think so.

If I interpret Ryan's remarks correctly then the judges only have one more week to use their super power. Unless it is Adam (and possibly Allison) on the chopping block, I doubt they will use it again.

Last night also highlighted that four judges are just too many for the TV format. Because of Kara's blathering (Randy too but he's original recipe so he can stay) the show keeps running long. So Tuesday's performances only allowed for two judges to comment at a time. At different points during the results show judges piped up to disagree with the comments from the performance critiques. I hope that the producers only signed a one year contract with Kara.

So, do you think that the judges (and by judges I really mean Simon) made the right decision keeping Matt? Will he be cut next week? I predict that next week's theme, disco, will have Adam Lambert back in the money spot. Any takers on that bet?

AI Season 8: Top 7 perform music from the movies

Is it just me or is Quentin Tarantino a scary dude? How the heck was he selected for the mentor for this week's theme? He must have a movie coming out, right? I fast forward through commercials so I miss that kind of stuff. I totally forgot he was a guest judge in Season 3. I don't remember him adding any real value but I barely remember what I had for breakfast this morning...

Ryan introduces the judges and DH thinks Paula Abdul looks hot tonight. I wonder if the lack of sleep with a new baby has made him crazy. Now that Scott is gone the contestants can freely walk the stage without worry about being bumped by the blind guy.

Allison Iraheta picks "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" which is probably a good song selection for her. Plus it's a really popular song which helps. She starts out slow and reminds me of what a good voice she has. That doesn't last long and Allison really belts out another couple of verses. She did a really good job and I think she will be safe this week. Paula thinks Allison is authentic and has special sauce. Simon said Allison is the girls' only hope in this competition. If Lil picks a good song this week he might eat those words.

Anoop is up next and decides on the epic, "Everything I Do I Do It For You." Remember when Kevin Costner was awesome? Those were the pre-WaterWorld days. Quentin thinks he should rough it up but isn't that copying Bryan Adams? Anoop should stick to his pure voice and ignore Quentin. I worry that the performance could be karaoke but it's actually quite lovely and Anoop does a fabulous job. He is really in the zone, as Randy comments. Kara thinks that he really stood out and it was one of his best performances. I really like that only 2 judges are giving feedback. It makes my job easier.

Adam Lambert selects, "Born To Be Wild" from Easy Rider. Quentin calls him the real deal. DH was worried about him this week until the first note left Adam's lips. I am surprised he didn't get the money spot but I guess he can't get it every week... Adam is definitely in a league of his own. My only question at this point is what kind of album he would make and when he's going to sing Bohemian Rhapsody. Paula gives him a standing ovation, natch. She also breaks out a fortune cookie and tells him he dances in the path of greatness. Simon thought it was a vocally incredible performance but a little Rocky Horror-esq.

Matt Girard also thinks Bryan Adams is the man and picks a song from the Johnny Depp classic, Don Juan DeMarco, "Have You Every Really Loved A Woman." I agree with Jordan that Footloose would have been a better choice. Matt isn't doing himself any favors with his 1920s type outfit but he hides it a little behind the piano. Another really good performance tonight although the occasional forays into his falsetto didn't work for me. So far this is the strongest Top 7 I've seen. Randy liked the beginning but thought the song went off the rails at the bridge. Kara babbles on and on and on and I decide that she is dead to me. At least Paula is kooky so it is fun to recap her. Kara is just a know it all and kind of annoying. Regardless Matt could be in trouble based on the critiques from the judges.

Danny Gokey is missing his glasses while interviewing with Ryan. WTF? The glasses are his thing and I think he has more pairs that Sally Jessie Rafael. I hope he hasn't gotten corrupted by the stylists. Although if he went the Lasik route I can't blame him. I did it myself about 7 year ago. Best decision I every made. Down with contacts! Danny picks, "Endless Love" and DH whistles in response. Per usually Danny puts a lot of emotion into the performance, not surprising given his widower status and the lyrics of the song. I thought it was going to be hokey but Danny's raspy voice really pulled it off. Paula agrees with me about the timbre of his voice. Simon was disappointed with the traditional version of the song but can't fault the singing itself.

Kris Allen is up next (yay! Lil gets the money spot!) and picks "Falling Slowly" from the movie Once. Huh? Never heard of either. I do a quick Google search at 9:30 PM and the first link of the page is a YouTube video of Kris' performance. Jeesh! Talk about the lightening speed of the internet. It's a ballad so Kris does well but it's a little boring for me. Randy doesn't think that the performance really caught on and it was pitchy. Kara thought it was one of his best moments. Kris could also be in trouble.

Finally Lil pulls out a great dress rehearsal performance and gets the last spot of the night (aka the "money spot"). Let's see how her live performance goes, shall we? She decides on Bette Middler's "The Rose" which is an awesome song and very tough to top Bette. Lil starts out very traditionally but after the first verse goes a little gospel with it. It's definitely one of her better performances but I am far from wowed by it. Paula doesn't really offer any criticism and just says that the road is long. Simon visibly rolls his eyes. He also tells Lil that she continues to pick the wrong song for her voice. I agree with Simon and think that Lil needs to focus on R&B. Lil also decides to talk back to Simon and I hate that shit. Paula defends her of course and DH and I roll our eyes out of our head. Even though I have Lil going to the final 2 I am OK with her being done. I much prefer the other 6 contestants.

So, who is out? Matt and Kris are in trouble but I think that even the money spot won't save Lil this week.

Don't forget to file your taxes!

SJ out.

AI Season 8: Top 8 perform songs from the year they were born

As Jordan says, this episode of American Idol makes me feel very old. It doesn't help that I just celebrated a birthday. No, I'm not advertising which year. Every season for as long as I have been watching there has been an episode where the contestants sing a song from the year they were born. And every year, we creep closer to the millennium. This year Allison Iraheta clocks in at 1992. 1992! Sigh. Do you all also realize that this decade is almost over? What decade are we calling it? The 0s? Will the next decade be the teens? Inquiring minds want to know.

Ryan introduces the judges (rather than the phantom voice that has been the norm this season) and shows us very cute baby pictures.

Up first is Danny Gokey (1980) singing "Stand By Me" which should be a good song for him. He starts the song out slow and mixes things up with the arrangement. I do prefer when he busts out with a higher energy performance. Randy questions the arrangement as does Kara but they both think he did a great job. Paula thinks Danny set the bar high and Simon said the beginning was good, middle was lazy and end was terrific.

Kris Allen joins Randy on stage and looks just a cute as always. I did think he would not be sticking around for long but he is proving me very wrong with some great performances. Kris was born in 1985 and wanted to be a taxi cab driver when he was little. He picks "All She Wants To Do Is Dance" and I scratch my head at his selection. It's a great song but not exactly his style. Immediately I think the arrangement is weird as is his position off the stage surrounded by adoring fans. Kara likes that Kris picked an up tempo song but it felt like homework rather than effortless (I'm paraphrasing because she natters on). Paula thinks he was heartfelt and made the song unique. Simon called it indulgent, boring and forgettable. Randy agrees with Simon.

Lil Rounds was born in 1984 and it turns out that Lil is her real name, not a nickname. She picks Tina Turner's "What's Love Got To Do With It" (excellent call, Jordan) and I worry for her again. She is channeling Tina Turner in her outfit and svelte haircut but the vocals aren't quite up to par. Tina Turner has such a distinctive voice it can be hard to avoid karaoke comparisons. Paula compliments Lil's outfit but doesn't think she made the song her own. Simon called it second rate and copy cat. Randy agrees with Simon and Paula. Kara thinks that her lower range isn't good and Lil isn't an artist yet.

Anoop Desai decides a lime green preppy sweater is the way to go. I shouldn't comment since I love lime green and just got a sweater from my grandmother (Hi Mimi!) for my birthday. But I'm not performing on American Idol either. Randy calls Anoop on his attitude from last week and Anoop basically apologizes. He was born in 1986 and selects "True Colors." I think this could be a good move for him. Anoop smartly keeps the song simple and pure and does an excellent job. Randy congratulates Anoop on the UNC win (go Tarheels!) and says it was a really nice vocal. Kara said Anoop controlled the song. Paula said he showed his "true colors" (groan). Simon called him a yo-yo and that this week was a good performance.

30 minutes in and we are halfway home. I love when we get performance shows down to one hour!

Scott McIntyre is up next and was born in 1985. He wanted to be a train conductor but as DH said, you really need to see in order to have that career work. Good thing he has music as a back up. He sings "The Search Is Over" by Survivor and plays the guitar. I say, "He plays the guitar?" DH responds, "Well, he holds it." Scott does his typical mediocre job with a few particularly sour notes. If he stays and Lil goes home I'll be pissed. DH predicts Christian Rock albums in his future. When will Simon go off on him???? Kara said the performance was mixed. Paula gave him credit for not using his piano crutch. Simon thinks Scott should go back to the piano and that the song was horrible. Randy called it OK. It is time for Scott to go.

Allison Iraheta was born in 1992. Damn I'm old. She decides on Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me" and I love this song! DH is happy that she slowed it down for a change and I agree. She does a really nice job but the performance is boring compared to her usual style. Paula thinks Allison gave her heart to the song. Simon thought it was very good but that Allison needs to be a bit more likable. Randy compares Allison to Kelly Clarkson. Kara calls her talented.

Matt Girard is up next and he was also born in 1985. Even as a child he had huge ears. He decides on Stevie Wonder's "Part Time Lover." Always a risk to pick a Stevie song. Matt does a good job and it's not too karaoke. What is less successful are the pants he's wearing. Very unflattering. Randy called it one of the best of the night, Kara said it was incredible, Paula gave it a standing ovation and Simon said well done. I love when the judges run out of time and give pithy comments.

Thank goodness I tape Fringe and had Adam Lambert's performance. He was born in 1982 and has always loved to dress up. I think the Phantom of the Opera costume gave away his sexual orientation early, don't you? He picks "Mad World" by Tears for Fears. Do I even need to say that in the money spot he blows it out of the water? The coolest part is that he kept it slow the whole time and used his falsetto. Simon gives him a standing ovation. Has that ever happened before?

So, what will happen this week? Lil is in trouble but I really hope Scott is the one going home.

SJ out.

AI Season 8: Top 9 perform a popular iTunes song

American Idol has decided to bless us with less filler this week and shortened the program to an hour and 25 minutes. This new mother is very happy...

No surprise that Michael Sarver was out last week. What was a surprise was that Megan Joy wasn't in the bottom 3 but Matt Giraud was. We also saw Simon crush Michael's dreams of a save with his quick "no." I wonder if the "save" will be used at all this season considering the judges need to be unanimous.

Apparently Danny Gokey's grandfather died this week. It is interesting that aside from the audition phase we haven't heard anything about his dead wife. But with a dead grandfather in the mix I wonder if we will hear anything about it this week.

Ryan brings the Idols on his syndicated Top 40 show because of the theme of "Most Popular Downloads." This allows the Idols to basically pick whatever they want which means half of them will pick a terrible song.

Anoop is up first singing, "Caught Up" by Usher and promises us stage presence in his interview. I get nervous. I much prefer his ballads to an up tempo song. I do not know this song and think Anoop is a bit of a mess. DH comments on the incongruity of an Indian guy singing hip hop. Prejudiced? Perhaps but also a little true. Randy thinks Anoop picked up the swagger but that it wasn't a good song choice. Kara said he played it safe. Paula liked his playful side. Simon said it was a complete and utter mess. I love it when Simon agrees with me.

Megan Joy picks "Turn Your Lights Down Low" by Bob Marley and sung by Lauren Hill. She admits that last week was rough but promises a much better performance this week. She does not deliver. DH comments that Megan sounds like she is trying to have a reggae accent or something. I just don't think she is very good. Kara is disappointed, Paula wants her to perform stripped down version, Simon thinks it was an indulgent performance and Randy said it was like watching paint dry. Does this mean that Megan is done for? Please?!?

Danny is going to sing Rascal Flatts' "What Hurts The Most" which is an interesting song selection for him. No mention of dead relatives in his interview. Oh, I totally know this song and really like it! The first verse was a little rushed but other than that it was a very powerful performance. Danny put a lot of emotion into it and I'm surprised he wasn't awarded the money spot. Paula (who is looking a little old in her flat banged hair style) says it was a performance she would listen to again and again. Simon said it was Danny's best performance to date and clapped for him. Randy thinks he brought it and Kara felt he connected with the audience.

Allison Iraheta has very pink hair and decided to play the guitar to "Don't Speak" by No Doubt. DH gasps a little and thinks it will either be great or terrible. Allison is looking very punk and cool with her hair and dress. I approve. What I don't approve of is that she sings the song straight which doesn't really work with her rock voice. I wish she had done a more rock interpretation of it. The guitar was also kind of useless. Randy thinks she was a little ahead of the beat and hates what she is wearing. Kara thought the ensemble felt forced but that she had a good performance. Paula compliments Allison for bring out her axe and it just sounds funny to hear her use that slang term. Simon also hates her outfit. I guess my taste doesn't align with theirs.

Scott McIntyre picks Billy Joel's "Just The Way You Are" and will only be accompanied by his piano. I am hating the leather jacket and think it make him look like he's trying too hard. Of course he can't see himself so he has to rely on others for fashion advice. It's one of his better performances but it is just nice, not great. Kara thinks Scott made some smart decisions and likes his new look. Really? Paula is proud of him and it has nothing to do with his "challenge." Simon admits it is his best performance by a mile and compares his hair cut to Ryan Seacrest.

Matt Giraud is hoping to not be in the bottom three this week. He picks the ubiquitous "You Found Me" by The Fray. I think DH and I heard this song a million times on our drive up to Massachusetts last year. It starts out a little rough and like Matt is a beat or two ahead of the music. It wasn't a great performance for me perhaps because it was too much like the original. Paula starts out the critique and basically agrees with me. Simon thinks Matt should be happy that they don't like him this week. Randy agrees that it was rough and Kara thinks he's a talented guy and hopes he's OK. He could be in trouble this week.

Lil Rounds really struggled with her song selection and picks Celine Dion's "I Surrender." Doing Celine is like doing Mariah or Whitney. Never a good idea. She's wearing a frumpy prom dress and has her hair flattened down. It is not a good look for her. Why did she not pick a R&B song? This is terrible. The girl can sing, however. Randy starts the commentary and we see David Spade in the background spit out his gum and stick it to his seat. Crazy. Randy didn't like the song choice, Kara was also surprised but it was effortless, Paula and Simon also hated the song. I think Lil will be OK but I wish she would do better at her song selections.

Adam picks Wild Cherry's "Play That Funky Music" and still has that Grease-like pompadour. Not a good look for him. Adam does a great job, per usual, and I can see DH's foot tapping along. This kid has some serious stage presence. Paula almost falls out of her dress she loves it so much. Simon thinks it was very original and a good departure from the other performances. Randy thinks Adam is in the star zone. Kara loves him.

Kris Allen gets the money spot and selects "Ain't No Sunshine" by Bill Whithers which is going to be challenging because of how awesome the original is. He couples that challenge with accompanying himself on the piano. Is he growing a mustache? Looks like it. Wow. Kris does a phenomenal job with his performance. Definitely the best of the night. Randy called it creative and cool. Kara said "Three words: that was artistry" and I scratch my head. Paula thinks it could be the first cut of his album. Simon said Kris brought a lot of confidence and had a great arrangement.

So who is going home? I want it to be Megan but it will probably be Matt Giraud or Anoop. Overall I was expecting to be wowed but only Danny Gokey and Kris Allen really did that for me. Perhaps it is better when there is a more limited theme which forces song selections. What do you think?

SJ out.

AI Season 8: Top 10 perform Motown

Ryan welcomes everyone and thanks them per usual. It's a "special" Wednesday night Idol (because as much as I love our new president he had to go on TV again yesterday and outline his plan and priorities), and everyone is over the Flu B virus. Whatever. As long as we don't have to hear whining about illness. I just had a freaking baby and I'm here blogging. Suck it up people.

Ryan talked about last week's "shocking" elimination. Randy hated seeing Alexis go and Kara said Alexis was a good singer. I still haven't seen the value Kara adds to this season. We could be down to an hour show if not for her. Instead we are still at 2 hours for 10 contestants. Paula looks very nice and very sober. Could be a good evening. She wants the contestants to mix it up and surprise her. Simon wants each contestant to make the song contemporary.

Songs of Motown. God Bless Berry Gordy. Most of these contestants' parents weren't even alive when Motown was created, I'd bet.

They get to be mentored by Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson? WOW. These kids should be in awe. (Oh, I guess it's just Smokey -- still has to be the biggest mentor ever).

Matt starts and he's doing Let's Get it On by Marvin Gaye -- I bet he does well. Smokey has a very sentimental spot for Marvin's music -- who doesn't? As he starts all I can think of is Jack Black singing this (very, very well) in High Fidelity. Matt does well. Randy is stoked that it's Motown night (duh). He thinks Matt worked it out. Kara says something annoying and simply recaps what he did (you started on the piano then stood up -- no shit: we just saw it). Paula gives it a sexy cool vibe and used Kara's "riffing" word. Matt is like wearing an old pair of worn-out jeans. Simon really likes it and says that this is the music Matt should be doing and he is a front-runner.

Kris Allen picks "How Sweet It Is" and was nervous to perform in front of Smokey Robinson. He is wearing a USO type outfit and plays the guitar. Kara drooled over his performance but I wasn't blown away. Paula thinks Kris is coming into his own. Simon thinks Kris did his own version but doesn't believe in himself as much as many other contestants. Randy gave Kris props. Is there any question that the best looking guy in the competition is safe for another week? Didn't think so.

By the way, since I am in the hospital I am actually watching this show live. Jeesh, talk about a lot of filler! I miss my fast forward button, particularly when the contestants "go off script" and don't really know how to talk to Ryan.

Scott McIntyre decides to leverage his "crutch" and use the piano. He picks "Can't Hurry Love" by Diana Ross. Scott slows down the song to start and clearly does not have the range that Diana is renowned for. He's just not that good. I don't understand why he is still in this competition. Oh, right. He's blind. It's like America is overcompensating by voting him in every week. I kind of hope that the judges eviscerate him but I doubt that will happen. Paula starts and thinks he did a great job. Simon didn't think it was a good version of the song and the piano playing was "honkey". He continues harping Scott on his terrible song choice. Word. Randy thought it was a hotel performance. Kara liked that it was up tempo and wasn't sure about the liberties he took with the melody.

Paula tries to slam Simon by giving him gifts appropriate to a six year old. Does anyone else think they have a weird relationship that borders on sexual sometimes? They've come a long way since the first season.

Up next is Megan Joy tackling Stevie Wonder. Good thing he's blind and can't see her dance. Megan thinks "For Once In My Life" is a good "Megan" song. Smokey calls her different and refreshing. I don't know who is dressing this girl but a stylist, this person is not. She channels a little Brooke White by going barefoot. But even Brooke didn't walk barefoot through the audience. The crowd doesn't really seem into it and neither am I. Let's see what the judges think. Randy compliments Megan's outfit but thought the song was a train wreck. Kara agrees and thought she should have picked "My Guy" instead. Paula thinks Megan is stunning (I'm sure you were shocked she went there) but agrees that the song was not a good choice. Simon said, "Oh dear" and that it was horrible. Does this mean Megan won't live to see another week? Fingers crossed!

Anoop Dog is in the house and picks "Ooo Baby Baby." I'm glad he picked another ballad but I'm worried the song is a bit too slow and will come off as boring. He is also singing in a higher range than he normally does which sounds odd to me. Kara thought Anoop did a pretty good job and showed his range. Paula thought Anoop needed to show more confidence and he delivered a tender performance. Simon thought it was a great vocal but it was a little boring performance-wise. Randy wants to see more energy next week.

Michael Sarver decided he "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" and completely sucked. Ryan tried to make us feel bad for him because he was sick and didn't head out in the private jet to Detroit with the rest of the idols. Instead Smokey visited him in the mansion. The judges rightly told Michael that he was light years away from most of the other contestants. Michael attempted to use his "aw shucks" charm to stick around for another week. I'm not sure it's going to work.

Lil Rounds picked "Heat Wave" and cried about her situation compared to the downfall of Detroit. She was good but didn't blow me away like I expected her too. She also didn't really own the song - it sounded to similar to the original. Randy agreed with me, Kara gave way too much advice, Paula loved her and Simon said she didn't do herself any favors. But with the crappiness of a few of the other singers, she should be OK.

Adam Lambert selected Smokey's "Tracks of My Tears". I totally didn't recognize him when Ryan flashed to him before the break. He kind of looks a little bit like Mario Lopez with his clean cut look. I liked his version of the song and it was reminiscent of that song from the Neslon Twins in the 80s. Kara has six words: One (1) of (2) the (3) best (4) performances (5) of (6) the (7) night (8). God help me. Simon rightly called it The (1) best (2) performance (3) of (4) the (5) night (6). I'm still weirded out by his transformation to straight guy.

Danny Gokey sings "Get Ready" and does an energetic job. I am still not feeling that he has that great of a voice, he is just a good performer. Paula loved it, Simon called it clumsy and amateurish, Randy thinks Danny has a dope voice and Kara loved his personality. Considering he is the front runner is there any doubt he's sticking around for a while, regardless of the mixed reviews?

Allison gets the money spot. Is it bad that I totally forgot about her? She picked "Papa Was A Rolling Stone" which I think is a good choice for her voice. She did a great job but it wasn't particularly contemporary. The judges loved it and Simon called her a survivor?

So, who's out this week? I'm guessing Michael Sarver but it could be Scott or Megan too.

**A big thank you to DH for kicking off this recap while I was feeding the baby. Feel free to pass along kudos for still doing a recap 24 hours after having a baby :-) Now that's commitment!**

Megan Joy Corkrey lives to see another week

I realized that I have been spelling Megan's last name incorrectly for weeks. Perhaps I just want it to be Corkery and not Corkrey because it sounds better? I'm not sure. Regardless I am annoyed I need to spend another week recapping her name at all.

The men continue to dominate this season with another female contestant receiving the boot. Alexis Grace apparently didn't do "Jolene" justice and America voted her off. Another kick in the butt for her was that the judges decided not to use the new Veto Power and save her perky ass. That's got to hurt considering she dirtied herself up for them and everything.

People have been asking my opinion about the Veto Power. Well, at least one person has. I think it's a crock of crap to be perfectly blunt. The judges have had their opportunity to stack the deck with their Wild Card selections. By introducing this Veto Power American Idol is telling America that we suck at selecting Idols. While I would agree that selections have been somewhat tragic (see Taylor Hicks, Ruben Studdard, Fantasia Barino) the benefits far outweigh the risks (see Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, David Cook).

I can see the judges using the Veto Power if a genre is particularly trying for a top tier contender. For example, if Lil Rounds had been voted off just because it was Country week. That would suck. But the judges should recognize that the people who vote (I am not in that category) tend to vote regardless of actual performance. So voters support one or two particular contestants and won't let one bad performance stop them from voting. This is contrary to what we see in shows like Project Runway (when are you coming back!?!?) and Top Chef where you are only as good as your last performance. The real risk comes in once we get down to 5 or fewer contestants because voters switch their allegiance to a new contestant which can drastically change voting tallies.

So was Alexis the right choice? How many more awkward performances catering to the blind guy will we have to endure? What do you think about the Veto Power? Does anyone know when my beloved Project Runway will finally return? Inquiring minds want to know.

AI Season 8: Top 11 perform country style

This probably has to be the most painful performance week for Simon Cowell. He hates country music. And I can't really blame him. I like some of the pop country hits I've heard over the past few years (Carrie Underwood's Before He Cheats is a good one) but true country sets my teeth on edge. It's the whole, "my dog died, truck broke down, lost my job, my girlfriend is a stripper and I stubbed my toe" lyrics that get me every time. So like Simon I will have to grit my teeth and try to appreciate the singers who do well. I don't think there will be many of them...

The judges are introduced again and come out from backstage. What is up with that? Considering they just go to their accustomed spots, I don't see why they can't just start there. Ryan wishes us a Happy St. Patrick's Day and urges us to drink. If only I wasn't almost 39 weeks pregnant, I would, Ryan, I would.

We are introduced to this week's theme: Grand Ole Opry. I guess picking a single artist like Dolly Parton was too limiting? Randy Travis mentors the contestants this week. Is it just me or is he looking particularly skinny and old?

Michael Sarver is up first and he is the most natural country singer of the bunch. I'm kind of surprised he doesn't get the money spot. He picks Garth Brook's "Ain't Going Down Till The Sun Comes Up." He impresses me with his memorization skills and sounds pretty good too. Damn, there were a lot of words in those lyrics. Good, upbeat song and the crowd loved it. DH calls it karaoke but I think it sounds like every other country song. Randy called it a cool song choice but said it didn't have a big vocal range. Kara said we saw his personality but missed the big notes. Her silver top makes me think she's about to embark on a ride into space. Looking demure in comparison is Paula who garbled a lot of words and said it was a good genre for Michael. Simon said it should have been good but didn't understand a word he sang. Michael talked back and I think he lost some "likability" with his comment.

Alison Iraheta is still 16 and sings "Blame It On Your Heart." I don't recognize the song but that shouldn't surprise anyone. Per usual I really like the tone of her voice and think she does a really nice job. This isn't really her genre but she does better than I would have thought. Kara pulls out the "singing the alphabet comment" and I wonder if Paula will agree but use the phone book metaphor instead. Paula called it a rock solid performance but didn't even seem like she was making a pun. What a missed opportunity. I love puns. Simon thought it was good but there were some mistakes. Randy called it "dope" and I flashed to 1997.

Kris Allen also picked a Garth Brooks' song ("To Make You Feel My Love") and decides not to accompany himself on the guitar. DH wonders how his wife doesn't know he is gay. Randy Travis liked Kris' arrangement and I surprise myself by actually knowing the song. He sings a very stripped down version and I like it. Paula said she was pleasantly surprised and thought it was a vulnerable performance. Simon called it terrific. Randy thinks he took a chance and showcased his vocals. Kara thought it was beautiful.

Lil Rounds looks stunning in her pink mini-dress. She admits her country ignorance and says she will honor country by holding back on her R&B style. She selects Martina McBride's "Independence Day" which is a big song. If I remember correctly Kristy Lee Cook sang this last year. Lil still has an amazing voice but the song feels really "off" without a twang. The chorus was much better than the verses. DH thinks she seems very uncomfortable and I agree. Just not a good genre for her. Randy called her out on the first part but thought it got better with the chorus. Kara didn't love the song choice but gives her props. Paula thought she looked fabulous. Simon calls her "Little" and compared her to a wedding singer. Lil spends too much time explaining her song selection. I just want these contestants to shut up and sing.

Adam Lambert is up next and needs some serious highlights in his hair that aren't blue. And perhaps a little less eyeliner. He picks Johnny Cash's "Ring Of Fire" and makes Randy Travis speechless. You can tell he hated the arrangement Adam picked. I get a very Jim Morrison vibe from the performance which I know Adam was totally going for. I'm not sure I liked the performance but it captivated me. I have a feeling it will be the most interesting performance of the night. Kara called it a little strange but liked the drama. Paula said Adam was true to himself as an artist. Simon: "What the hell was that?" He then threw out his "indulgent rubbish" phrase. I actually completely disagree with Simon as does Randy who compares it to Nine Inch Nails.

Scott McIntyre picks "Wild Angels" by Martina McBride. Randy Travis did not approve of the song choice. Did you all know that the guy who accompanies Scott on stage is his brother? Scott accompanies himself on piano which I have a feeling will be standard as long as he sticks around. My problem with Scott is that he just isn't that good compared to the other contestants. I tell DH that and he responds, "Well Scott just doesn't see it that way." Yup, he's about to become a father, people. Wish me luck. Paula called the performance lovely but thinks the piano could be becoming a crutch. Simon is testy tonight (probably because it's the worst week for him) and tells Scott not to take Paula's advice. Simon also questions the song selection and thinks that it was too similar to last week's. Randy breaks up the arguing couple and tells Scott that it was too much of a safe performance. Kara thinks Scott needs to up his game.

Alexis Grace is starting to bore me and annoy me. Not a good combination. She picks "Jolene" by Dolly Parton and I love this song so she better not screw it up. A bunch of rough notes in the middle but she did a good job showcasing her voice. Randy thought it was a good song choice but not a great performance. Kara said Alexis lost her edge with the song and it felt flat. Paula thought it was an effective performance and showcased her range. Simon thought it was OK but too reminiscent of Dolly Parton.

Danny Gokey was nervous meeting Randy Travis. He selected "Jesus Take The Wheel" by Carrie Underwood and screwed up a number of times in rehearsal. I am surprised that he decides to sing the song straight rather than play with the arrangement. With his performance Danny shows he lacks the range of most of the other male singers. He does much better when the music picks up but the first half was pretty pathetic. Also pathetic? The white jacket. Kara dinged him on the first half. Paula thought he built a story. Simon agrees with Paula and with me about the outfit. Randy split the judging and agrees with Kara.

Anoop Desai is up next and I fear for him. He decides on Willy Nelson's "You Were Always On My Mind" and I breath a bit easier. I like Anoop's voice when singing ballads. I think he does an excellent job but dressing in a hooded sweatshirt was not the best style choice. Paula said Anoop was back. Simon used the always good "zero to hero" cliche and said it was an excellent performance. Randy said Anoop-dog demonstrated why he's in the competition. Kara called it amazing and the best performance of the night.

Here comes craaaazy! DH makes my night by imitating her dancing before Megan Corkery comes on. Megan picked, "I Go Walking After Midnight" and Randy called it unique. She looks stunning except for the tattoo sleeve. The girl also can't help herself with her dancing. Do they get stage presence help? Cause if not, they should. Her voice is very unusual which I like but there is something about the girl I just don't like. Randy thought it was going to be a train wreck but it was actually good. Kara calls her a winner for performing with the flu. We go through this shit every year. Yes, they get sick every season. Suck it up. Paula calls her a professional and Simon said she should have the flu every week.

Matt Giraud gets the money spot and selects "So Small" by Carrie Underwood but changes up the arrangement. Like Scott he accompanies himself on the piano. It's a good performance but not great so I'm surprised he got placed to go last. What's up with Kara or Paula staring out every critique this week? Kara loved it. Paula called it an authentic performance. Simon thinks Matt outsang Danny and had a great performance. Randy said it was the favorite performance of the night for him.

Who should be out? Scott McIntyre. Who will be out? I'm not sure. I'm finding it hard to predict this season. There is a possibility that Alexis could be done.

SJ out.

**Since Ryan does a terrible job introducing the name of the songs and the contestants mumble a lot, I am not to be held responsible for errors in the song titles.

Stick a fork in me

Looks like my dream of winning this year's American Idol pool was cruelly dashed by last night's results show. I was talking with DH about it this morning. What did I do wrong to pick Jasmine and Jorge to go so far? He assured me that my logic was perfectly rational. After all, they were much better singers than Megan or Scott and gave better performances than Anoop. But we've been watching the show for weeks and see their potential. The rest of America? Way more superficial than I gave it credit for. And to think, this is my second season recapping and fourth in the pool! I should know better. I really did think that Jorge having an entire country (OK territory, but still) would bring him through for many rounds not to mention the Latino connection, but obviously that wasn't the case. Yes, Jordan, you were right. Dammit.

In other news, thanks for the advice from everyone about getting my wedding ring unstuck. I tried the ice water trick last night. First of all: that hurt! I did figure out I had to gradually put my hand in or I couldn't keep it in as long as I needed. But after 20 minutes of soaking I still couldn't get the ring off. Even slathering it in oil too. Sigh. I am going to hope that the cooler weather in Charlotte that started today will help. At least it's not so tight it is hurting my hand. I have hope that if I can't get it off until I deliver that it will still be OK and I won't have to have it cut off. But I'll have DH bring the cutting equipment to the hospital just in case!

It has been an extremely long week and I now know why so many women on my pregnancy web boards bitch about still being pregnant in Week 37. I am exhausted by the end of the day and want nothing more than to curl up and watch TV. But I'm so ungainly I can't seem to get comfortable on the chair or the coach. I'm going to start working from home more often with the hope I won't feel as run down by the end of the day. Of course then I have to listen to DH bitch about his job stress (since he telecommutes) but we'll have to get used to this togetherness for the 12 weeks I'm home with the baby!

Is it Friday afternoon yet?

AI Season 8: Top 12, I mean Top 13 perform

Tonight the competition really gets started. The biggest difference from last year is that we have only seen these folks sing once before the Top 12 were selected. Well, the "winners" did get to sing again during the results night but did anyone really watch that? I didn't think so.

I had a real struggle with ranking the Top 13 for my AI pool. I ended up with the following:
1. Adam Lambert, 2. Lil Rounds, 3. Jorge Nunez, 4. Jasmine Murray, 5. Danny Gokey, 6. Alexis Grace, 7. Kris Allen, 8. Allison Iraheta, 9. Anoop Desai, 10. Matt Giraud, 11. Scott MacIntyre, 12. Michael Sarver, 13. Megan Joy Corkery

Frankly I think because of our lack of exposure to this season's Top 12 it's going to be a crap shoot with these predictions. I personally can't stand Adam but he's got some serious talent. If he loses the raven black died hair and stops trying to be a "rocker" he could go all the way.

On with the show...

The judges are introduced by some random voice dude. And they come out on stage rather than being introduced where they normally sit. What's up with that? Ryan claims it was Simon's idea. Per usual Ryan asks the judges what the contestants need to do. Randy says they have to "bring it." Kara claims she will be tough with the criticism. Paula tells the contestants to use the stage and not let it overwhelm them. Simon agreed with Paula.
We are told that 2 contestants are going home tomorrow. I'm OK with that - anything to get us down to one hour performance shows faster. The music tonight is Michael Jackson. That should be good for Kris Allen as long as he doesn't sing "Man in the Mirror" again. Regardless of the freakiness of Michael Jackson today, he still has the number one selling album of all time and has sold more than 750 million albums. Damn.

Lil Rounds is one of the Memphis ladies to bookend the show. We get to meet Lil's husband and learn more about the tornado tragedy that put them in a motel. She picks "The Way You Turn Me On" and does extremely well. Not so well with her wardrobe choice but hopefully the stylists will work more with her in the future. Lil doesn't precisely make the song contemporary but it feels more relevant with the arrangement. Randy said it was the way to kick off Season 8, Kara thinks the other contestants will be nervous, Paula compliments her clothes, and Simon thought it was good but a lazy song choice. And Simon agrees with me and hates what she is wearing.

Scott MacIntyre is up next and leads with the blind thing. OK, dude, it's now officially old. We see a picture of Scott at the piano with his creepy brother staring at him from the background. Then we hear his sisters sing and basically they suck. Scott picks, "Keep the Faith" and I don't know this song. He is much better sitting behind the piano and doesn't give off as much of a weird blind vibe (yes I am going to hell). He still misses a lot of notes and is just not that good. But he's blind so the judges will probably salivate all over him. Let's see, shall we? Kara gives him props for learning the song on the piano so quickly, Paula calls him magical, Simon hated it because it was a bad song choice, and Randy thought it was a safe performance.

Danny Gokey shows his entire family and man, there are a lot of them. His family made up songs when they were kids, how cute is that? And nary a mention of the dead wife. Good move. He selects P.Y.T which is a good song selection. Except it stuck in my head all night to the point where I was singing it in my dreams. Like last season's winner, Danny changes up the arrangement quite a bit. He still doesn't have the range of most of the other contestants but he is a great performer. Paula thinks he has a lot of gifts and said the word "finals." Simon thought the vocals were brilliant but the dancing was hideous. Just wait until he sees Megan. Danny very cutely admits that combining singing and dancing is not good for him. Randy and Kara loved it.

Michael Sarver shows us more of his oil rig job site. We see his cute daughter and hear some really thick southern accents. He picks "You're Not Alone" and proceeds to smile through the whole song. It's kind of creepy. It reminds me of a teacher I had in elementary school who was always smiling even when sending kids to the Principal's office. Michael is way better than I remember from Group A performances. I am totally regretting my rankings at this point. Simon reminds him he's not the best singer but had a lot of passion, Randy thought he was one of the best so far, Kara said he can really sing, and Paula said a lot of things that made sense individually but make her appear to be babbling when put together.

Jasmine Murray looks stunning and of course Ryan asks her about the stylists that descend on them once they make the Top 12. The girl has a great looking family. She sings, "I'll Be There" and this group of 13 is really bringing the A game tonight. She demonstrates again that she isn't just a pretty face but has a nice set of pipes too. A few sharp notes and a pretty boring arrangement but a very nice job. Randy name drops Mariah Carey and thinks she did a pretty good job. Kara is surprised by the quality of her voice, Paula commends her poise but highlights a couple of sore spots, and Simon called it a good attempt.

Kris Allen is another southerner. DH thinks he is so boring and can't believe that America voted him in to the Top 12. We find out he's been married for 5 months and wonder if she knows that he's gay. The matching aprons is a dead giveaway. He accompanies himself with a guitar to "Remember the Time." Odd choice. He's doing everything he can to sell the song but he's still boring. By the end it's a total mess and he's shouting and gesturing and it's awful. But the tweens will probably still vote his cuteness in for another week at least. Kara thought the guitar helped his performance. Somehow Simon started undressing Paula and I felt funny. Paula calls him adorably sexy. Simon called it interesting and not really suited for a guitar. Randy compared him to Jason Mraz. I scratch my head because I didn't think it was that good.

Allison Iraheta's family is from El Salvador. Apparently she sang in discount shopping centers. Hey if it was good enough for Tiffany...Allison picks "Give In To Me" and I've never heard of that song. I have no idea if this is a rock song or not but she effortlessly makes it into one. She seems much older than her 16 years. I think she did an excellent job. Paula really liked it, Simon called it a good performance and Allison made an unfortunate cutting reference. Blowing past that Randy said she can really sing. Kara told her to keep being a rocker girl.

Anoop Desai continues his transformation to cool with his wardrobe choices. His parents are adorable and he obviously has great affection for them. He picks "Beat It" which is probably the most recognizable song so far tonight and hard to top Michael Jackson on. Anoop doesn't strike me as a rocker so I'm nervous for him. He obviously decided his energetic performance from last week worked so he was going to do it here too. Not a good choice. He sounds very karaoke to me. Paula thought it was a very poor song selection, Simon called it horrible, Randy agreed it was a bad song choice as did Kara. I hope he's here next week but it's not looking good.

Jorge Nunez is going to demonstrate the Michael Jackson love. When I was younger my family sponsored some Spanish exchange students (from Spain not just generically spanish) and they all freaking loved Michael Jackson. He picks "Never Can Say Good-bye" and I've never heard that song. He is the most vocally talented guy in the competition. Randy agrees with me and questions the song selection. Kara blathers about "connecting" and basically agrees with Randy. Paula tried to engage Jorge and it didn't work probably because she can barely speak English and it's his second language. Simon called the performance corny and arrangement too old fashioned. Despite these comments I still think he'll be OK.

Megan Corkery is wearing a tight red dress showing off her crazy arm tattoo. She tells us that she's never really performed on stage before. Really? Color me shocked. The dancing makes her seem so professional. DH is impressed with the hotness level of her mom. Does Megan remind anyone else of the daughter from Charles in Charge who went on to be on Baywatch? Nicole Eggers, that's who she reminds me of. She picks "Rocking Robin" which is an interesting song choice. DH thinks she picked it because it's the only song that matches her dancing. It's a good thing that she looks like she's having fun because she is not so good at actually singing. Guys, she "cawed" at the end. There are so many things that drive me up the wall about this girl. Kara called it "very Megan," Paula likes her quirky tone, Simon called it a stupid song choice and Randy agreed with Simon. Can she be done now, America? Please?

Adam Lambert's interview showcases how gay his is. What? I'm not judging. He talks about how he basically sucked in Hollywood on his own and couldn't make it so AI is his last shot. Kind of like what he said during his first audition. Adam sings, "Black and White" and technically does a very good job. He's a little manic but so is the song so I guess it works. Paula adores Adam and both of them practically start crying over how much she loves him. Simon called it in a "different league." Randy thinks he could make a record right now and Kara loves his voice. I wonder how long it will be before I jump on the Adam bandwagon. We'll see; I'm pretty stubborn.

Matt Giraud is up next and good luck, dude. You will need it. Per usual his interview is boring. I'm regretting having him as far along as I do in my rankings. Oh well. Of course the dueling piano player accompanies himself to "Natural." Matt kind of has a very poor man's Justin Timberlake look going. Like homeless poor man. He does a good job. Randy mentions Justin Timberlake, Kara thinks he is really talented, Paula gives him like 5 adjectives and Simon thought it was very good.

The money spot this week goes to Alexis Grace. Like Lil Rounds she is from Memphis. She also has the single mom thing in common with Megan. She picks an awesome song, "Dirty Diana" and looks absolutely amazing. The song starts a little rough for me but I think it's the arrangement. Once she hits the chorus Alexis really gets going. I do worry that she is going to fall over in those heels but she works the stage well. There are a few rough spots for me but she does a good job. Kara called her a naughty girl, Paula agreed, Simon said it was over the top and Randy said it was good and liked the attitude. I'm not sure she deserved the money spot but perhaps her dress rehearsal was better?

Ryan teases us with some changes in the results show. I still won't watch the whole thing no matter what he claims. My prediction is that Megan and Anoop are going home. Who do the rest of you think are done?

SJ out.

AI Season 8: Wild Cards perform and selected

Three whole nights of Idol! I'm already looking forward to the Top 8 when we get down to an hour performance show. AI requires a lot of time on my DVR...

Up tonight are the Wild Card performances. I think it's interesting that the judges select the 3 to join the Top 12 rather than America. It makes the predictions so much harder. And when exactly will they deliberate and announce the decision? Do they get the last commercial break to confer and decide? I guess we'll find out soon enough.

This, as Seacrest reminds us, is American Idol.

Because we have time to waste, apparently, Ryan re-introduces the 9 contestant in the Top 12. Fortunately he cuts short his banter with the judges.

Jesse Langseth is up first. She does not look at hot in her introductory interview and appears to be begging. She picks a song I don't know until it gets to the chorus "Tell Me Something Good" to showcase her range and "blue-sy" style. Bad song choice but then again, it's not like America is voting so it might not matter. Randy gives her props for the song choice but he didn't think she nailed the song. Kara critiqued a few bad notes but was impressed with Jesse's swagger on stage. Paula loves her tenacity. I have a feeling that will be her theme tonight with every one of the Wild Card contestants. Simon reminded Jesse she was a very last minute choice. He called her performance indulgent. Jesse sucks up to Simon, as well she should.

Matt Giraud is not a very attractive person. He chooses a Jackson 5 song and also wants to showcase his blue-sy style. He does an excellent job and DH immediately thinks he's through to the next round. I mentally put him as going out early if that is the case. Not feeling the love for Mr. Giraud on my end...Kara thinks he does a great job "riffing," Paula thought it was a great song choice for him, Simon said it was a billion times better than last week but hates what Matt's wearing, and Randy thinks he could be a threat.

Megan Joy Corkery is introduced and DH begs her not to dance while performing. She picks the song that Katherine McPhee used two season ago with such good effect, "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree." This? Not so good. Definite pitch problems. And she's dancing. Ow! My eyes! Paula thinks she looks beautiful and has joy but has no real praise or criticism for her. Simon likes her because she is current. Randy agreed that it wasn't a great vocal but she is great. Kara thinks she gives variety to the competition. I'm not seeing what the judges are loving about her. I think it's the dancing.

Von Smith comes on next to try and lisp his way back into our hearts. He picks "Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word" and I immediately lose my shit for the lisping comment. And to top it all off, he's absolutely terrible. What do you have to do to say you are sorry? Not sing this song. Stick a fork in this guy, he's done. Simon didn't think the song started out well and Von Smith was boring. Randy thought he was too serious. Kara wasn't crazy about the song choice. Paula thought he was too concerned about the technical aspects of performing than just doing it well. A fairly articulate and insightful comment from Ms. Abdul! Is Kara making her step up her game?

Jasmine Murray is 17, as usual. She picks a Christina Aguilera Disney song from the movie "Mulan." Yes, I've seen it. Don't judge. I ask Jeremy how to spell Aguilera and he says H-O-T. Jasmine does a good job and I predict that a decent vocal coupled with her "commercial" appeal will have her through to the Top 12. Randy thought the song was a little too big but she did a good job overall. Kara was impressed with the size of her voice. Paula thought she did a wonderful job. Simon said it was pretty special compared to what Jasmine did before and that it was a brave song choice.

Ricky Braddy (I keep wanting to call him Ricky Bobby) is still as unattractive and boring as he was in his first performance. He decides a Stevie Wonder song, "Superstition" is the way to go. To his credit he does an excellent job but Stevie is tough and I can't help but think the judges won't be thrilled with his song choice. Kara thinks he can sing his butt off. Paula likes that he loosened up. It was a bit light weight and clumsy for Simon. Randy said he could blow but the song was self-indulgent.

And here's Tatiana. Sigh. Singing means so much to her that she must make it. Girl is craaaazy. She picks the same Whitney Houston song, "Saving All My Love For You," as she did in the first week. And this is what kills me. Every time. Tatiana can sing extremely well. She might even be one of the best singers in the competition. Tatiana loves everyone so much and grew a Latino accent. Simon is desperate to get the judging moving. Paula thought her vocal was good. Simon argued with her about her same song choice. Randy thought it started out really rough but it was a mixed bag of tricks. Kara called it the "Adventures of Tatiana." And I breath a sigh of relief that she will not make it through to the Top 12.

I am so happy that Anoop has the money spot. He picks "My Prerogative" which he also used in Hollywood Week. It's not as good a vocal as his first performance but much more high energy and showcases his personality. I remain hopeful for his chances. Simon calls him an enthusiastic dog and says people like him. Randy thought he did great and also called him "dog." Kara said it was the best he ever did the song. Paula called him a showman with some "nasty" moves.

So, before the judges decide I think Anoop, Jasmine and Megan will make it through. And Megan only to even out some of the male:female ratio woes. Otherwise it would be Matt Giraud.

Ryan welcomes us back and starts the results. Jasmine is in. Ricky is out. Megan is in. Tatiana is out. Tatiana has a nervous breakdown and it's kind of awesome. Jesse is out. Von is out. Matt is in. Dammit. But then the judges make it a Top 13 and Anoop is in! Woo hoo!

OK now it's time to plan my Top 12 rankings. And take a break for a few days from the AI madness.

SJ out.

AI Group C results

I'm going to go ahead and give myself a big old pat on the back for my AI predictions of the next 3 to join the Top 12. I actually predicted it without seeing the show! I guess hype and marketing really do pay off for some of these contestants.

Lil Rounds is through first followed by Scott MacIntyre and Jorge Nunez. They join the rest of the Top 12 we know so far:

Danny Gokey
Alexis Grace
Michael Sarver
Kris Allen
Allison Iraheta
Adam Lambert
Lil Rounds
Scott MacIntyre
Jorge Nunez

The judges then selected 8 contestants from all three rounds to participate in tonight's Wild Card round (is AI trying to kill me?). I was very surprised by some of their choices and the judges seemed defensive about them when introducing the selected contestants so they are aware of the backlash. So, who's on tonight?

Von Smith - Group C (Ju'Not would have been a better choice)
Ricky Braddy - Group A (really? this boring guy?)
Jesse Langseth - Group B (very pretty but kind of annoying)
Anoop - Group A (really the only one I want to see make it through to the Top 12)
Matt Giraud - Group B (dueling piano player)
Megan Joy Cokery - Group B (here's hoping she doesn't dance oddly again)
Jasmine Murray - Group B (she could easily make it through if she doesn't screw up)
Tatiana Del Toro - Group A (I just can't...)

Interestingly, I think that Group C had the strongest competition but only Von Smith represents that Group. I thought for sure Ju'Not would have come in but since it came down to him or Anoop, I'm thrilled with Anoop. Did y'all see how shocked Anoop looked? He was like a deer in headlights. Not sure if that means we should think he's adorable or worry for him.

So far we have 6 guys and 3 girls. I am a bit confused about judging for tonight. Does that mean the judges actually select the last three Top 12 contenders? There is no results show scheduled so I assume so. I wonder if that means they will try to balance out the guy/girl ratio and we end up with 2 girls and one guy selected.

I have to make my Top 12 picks after the last 3 are selected. I am keeping it close to the vest since several competitors in my pool read this blog but I will say one thing. If Scott MacIntyre has to do group performances for more than a couple of weeks, we will all suffer. Poor guy, it's totally not his fault but the choreography! The cheesiness! It's all to much to watch with a blind guy bopping around the stage.

SJ out.

AI Season 8: Group C performs

Von Smith, "You're All I Need to Get By" by Marvin Gaye. It's not a good Marvin Gaye song. Von makes his usually weird faces while singing. He also starts very low in his vocal range which does not work. Flash to his mom who is jumping up and down like a crazy person when he's done. Randy liked it, Kara said he "did it," Paula thinks America will love him and Simon said he was a "spicier" Clay Aiken. Were my ears stuffed with wool? I didn't think he was very good.

Taylor Vaifauna, 17, sings"If I Ain't Got You" by Alicia Keyes. She is the girl from Utah who moved there from Hawaii to get "noticed." She looks like she's lost a ton of weight (not that she really needed to) and shallowly I think she looks great. She picks a good contemporary song but I don't really know it. So I'm not sure if it's a weird arrangement or if she just gets out of synch with the beat. Either way it's not so good and Taylor must know it since she starts crying immediately. The judges basically write her off as do I.

Alex Wagner-Trugman (slightly dorky kid I really like) sings "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues." He admits to reading the online comments about himself and is very charming in his interview. Too bad his song is a total mess. Just terrible. And it's coupled with cheesy growling and dance moves. The judges rightly call him on it.

Arianna Afsar tackles the ABBA classic "Winner Takes It All." I'm surprised by the song selection because it's pretty depressing. It's too bad everything is kind of a mess because she is a really cute girl and 17 (think Randy will comment on that? of course) and has the package. Except for the singing...

Ju'not Joyner sings this season's "It song" as seen through the Hollywood auditions, "Hey There, Delilah." I think he does a great job although he did sing it in Hollywood and didn't get shit on about it like Taylor did. Probably because he did a better job. I really liked his stripped down version and he could be a dark horse to make it through to the Top 12.

Kristen McNamara, of Team Compromise has fortunately decided to tone down the hair and remove the pink. She sings"Give Me One Reason." The girl can definitely sing but there was something off about the song. Plus she is up against Lil Rounds so it is doubtful she will make it through.

Also not making it? Nathaniel Marshall singing Meatloaf's "I Would Do Anything for Love." I hate this kid. I think my hate is about double that for Adam Lambert and that's saying a lot. Anyone else think it's ironic he performs right after Kristen and they both were on Team Compromise? Just me? OK. I tell DH, "I'm getting a weird Olivia Newton-John vibe from him. I think it's the headband and overall style." Simon totally agrees with me! I love it. If he picked a better song and had a better style and was less "drama queen" he might make it through.

Felicia Barton is this season's comeback kid and was brought back after another contestant got the boot. She's very pretty and a stay at home mom. Must be nice. She picks an Alicia Keyes song and does a decent job. She struggles to hit some notes but she is much better than most of the contestants. In fact, this whole group is much better than the majority from Group A and B. The judges think she did a good job. She might have a shot at Top 12 except no one knows her. But my friend Natalie was inspired to vote, so you never know!

Scott MacIntyre sings "Mandolin Rain." Does anyone think this kid is not getting into the Top 36? I would be surprised. He does an OK job. I like that Scott doesn't give off the creepy blind guy vibe. He appears to "look" at the audience and the camera. Yes, I am a terrible person. Let's move on, shall we? The judges slobber all over him per usual.

Kendall Beard picks Martina McBride's "This One's For the Girls" and is this just the second time we've heard a country song in the Top 36? I think so. She is cute and blond and does a decent job. She could be another dark horse for the Top 12.

Jorge Nunez picks Elton John's "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me." I predict that Jorge will be the third selected from Group C to move on to the Top 12. He has the Latino vote nailed down and he's cute. What more does he need? Oh yeah, he sings pretty good too...

And, as usual, "Idol" saves the best for last. In this case, Lil Rounds singing Mary J's "Be Without You." She's freaking amazing. She sounds like she is already a professional. "Brilliant," says Simon. Randy says she is one of the best of the season, Kara calls her a power house and Paula said she is first class.

So who's in? I predict Lil Rounds, Scott MacIntyre and Jorge Nunez. I would put Ju'Not in the wild card along with Kendall Beard and Felicia Barton. Who will move on? We'll see in less than an hour!!

Bad AI recapper, bad!

I regret to inform you all that I fell asleep at 8:30 PM last night. What does that mean? I didn't watch the Group C performances :-( I pledge to watch them and have a recap up tonight before the results show finishes. I'm assuming last night's performances went very much like the past two weeks: a couple of good singers and the rest being really sucky. Did I hit the nail on the head? I also predicted last week that Lil Rounds would get the money spot (last).

I do want to take this blog time to reiterate how unhappy I am with this year's format. I have to rank the Top 12 for the AI pools I participate in shortly and I won't have as much exposure to them this season as in season's past. Usually we get to see them perform for at least 4 weeks in a row before the Top 12 are announced. Now we get one week's exposure (outside of auditions that are heavily edited). That's not enough time for me to pick with any kind of accuracy the true AI stars. Looks like this season could be a crapshoot!

What do the rest of you think about the format?

AI Season 8: Group B results

Ryan opens the show by recognizing the awesomeness that is Simon Cowell. Simon is modest and turns it back to the contestants in Group B. Ryan shows us a clip package of how all the contestants made it to Group B. We've seen the footage before, no need for me to recap it here.

We are "treated" to a group performance of Neo's "Closer" and it's as horrific as you would expect the group performance to be. Ryan spends another 5 minutes recapping last night's performances. You want the scoop? Read it here.

Allison is first up for the results and paired with Jesse and Matt. Randy predicts Allison will be moving on. He is correct.

Megan Corkery and Kris Allen are pulled on stage next. They are joined by Matt Girard and Jeanine. I predict Megan will move on but Kris is a cutie and he could pull out the tween vote. Paula thinks any of them could make it except for Jeanine. She is right and Jeanine is the first sent home followed by Matt. Kara talks for far too long about basically nothing. Simon razzes her and I'm in complete agreement. Kris Allen makes it to the Top 12. I'm a bit surprised but you really can't underestimate the tween vote.

So who is the final stool? Got to be Adam Lambert which means the guys could far outweigh the girls in the Top 12. That gives us 2 girls and 4 guys so far.

Brooke White comes on stage to perform. Last season I really liked her until she started talking back too much to the judges. Here's hoping she doesn't screw up and have to start over again. Simon would hate that. Seeing her perform makes me realize how crappy the contestants are so far. Of course, a lot of the contestants' progress is about building confidence in performing and we have many more weeks to get there.

Mishovanna, Kai, Nick, Jasmine and Adam are called out together on the stage. Ryan reads through their song selections and judges critique. Mishovanna, Kai and Jasmine are all out. That leaves us with Nick/Norman and Adam. How pissed would Adam be if Nick/Norman beats him? He might have a nervous break down. I'd be OK with that.

Unfortunately my wish isn't granted and Adam is through to the Top 12. Enjoy the next 6 days until the fiasco that is sure to be Group C. So Adam, Allison and Kris join Alexis Grace, Danny Gokey and Michael Sarver in the Top 12. I think that Anoop and Megan Corkery will be in the Wild Card race, but we have 2 weeks to find out. How are folks feeling about our Top 12 so far? Any surprises?

SJ out.

AI Season 8: Group B performs

I'm going to say it. I hate the new format for American Idol. It's excruciating. We have seen more crappy performances in the last week than the whole last season combined. A Top 36 is not a good idea. How much chaff do we have to have with our wheat? Far, far too much as it turns out. Add into it another judge who sucks up additional airtime and we have a recipe for a show I am not enjoying very much this season. I can only hope that by the time we make it to the Top 12 I am back on board. I do have AI pools I need to participate in and I'd like to win which means I need to be more invested. But with performances like we saw last night, it's going to be hard.

I also dislike that we don't get to know the contestants gradually. Instead of seeing them over a period of weeks we get one week on, 3 weeks off until the Top 12. Groups A and B will be at a disadvantage because America, she is fickle, and will quickly forget them.

The counter argument is that good singers have a better chance of making the Top 12 this time around. No more Sanjaya fiascoes, supposedly. I'm not so sure that can't happen. Perhaps I should just be happy they aren't putting us through Idol Gives Back this year?

What are the rest of you thinking now that we are 2 weeks into the new format? Do I need to just suck it up because this format is around to stay or will AI producers come to their senses and retrench next season?

Ryan is looking thinner than usual in his black polo shirt. He introduces Randy in a cardigan I’m sure I’ve seen before, followed by Kara, Paula and Simon in a tight t-shirt. Is Simon showing Ryan how it’s done? He is looking pretty fly in that tight shirt...The judges give their usual inane advice to kick off the show. Ryan reminds us of the absurdly complicated way of building the Top 12 and introduces this week’s contestants.

Jasmine Murray is 17 and I don’t really remember her from the auditions. Per usual we see clips from Hollywood Week. She sings “Love Song” by Sara Bareilles and I really like the choice; very contemporary. Jasmine sounds very shaky and too low for the song as she starts it. She does get a bit better with the chorus but I’m not impressed. Randy calls it pitchy and Kara tells Jasmine she is commercial but it wasn't her best performance. Paula agrees with Kara (she's doing that a lot this season) and Simon was disappointed because Jasmine has everything but the voice. Simon thinks the song choice wasn’t very good and she could be better in the future. Jasmine takes the criticism well and claims she had a great time. She will not be coming back...

Up next is the dueling piano player, Matt Giraud (24). He's pretty boring looking so he'll have to really bring it tonight to get votes. We see a clip of his great "Georgia" performance from the solo Hollywood auditions. Unfortunately he decides to pick "Viva La Vida" by Cold Play for his first live performance. He not so wisely also chooses to go with a vibrato in his voice and it results in a bad comparison to Chris Martin. Matt is all over the place pitch-wise and kind of sucks. I hope he also had fun because he's going home. The producers have decided to rotate the opening criticism amongst the judges so Kara starts things said she wasn’t blown away. Paula said he picked a risky song and it didn’t pay off. Simon said it was verging on a horrible performance. Randy agreed with Simon but said he was still pulling for Matt.

Jeanine Vailes, 28, a bartender is up and has the unfortunate occurrence of not being featured at all during auditions. She must have a really terrible personality. Jeanine goes with the standby, "This Love" by Maroon 5. I’ve seen better in a karaoke bar. We are now 3 contestants in and I am extremely disappointed. Paula compliments her legs which all the judges agree with. Too bad it's not Next Top Legs. Simon said it was terrible and a bad song selection. Randy said that the end was the best because it meant it was over. Kara said the song was overdone. Also done? Jeanine.

Nick/Norman is up next and I’m looking forward to alleviating my boredom from the last 40 minutes of drivel. No matter what you think about him, he is entertaining. He picks the Jennifer Hudson song “And I Am Telling You” from Dream Girls. Because he fears rejection he comes out as Norman, not Nick. There is a flash on his parents and his dad looked very unhappy. He makes up for it by appearing to be really proud of his son at the end of the song but I call BS on that. How proud must a dad be to see his gay son hamming it up via an alter ego on the biggest stage in America? Norman totally plays to the crowd and they are eating it up. Crawling through the crown Norman spots Neil Patrick Harris and incorporates Doogie into the lyrics. In fact he changes a bunch of the lyrics to reflect his current AI experience. Anyone know why NPH is so invested in AI this season? Second week in a row that he's been there.

Norman can actually sing which makes this performance kind of sad for me. I'd love to see him as Nick but we haven't had that opportunity. Simon can’t do anything other than laugh and he hopes Norman won’t make it through to the next round. Randy called it entertaining albeit a little lacking in pitch. Kara said it was memorable and Paula called him a true performer. Will he make it? At this point, I kind of want him to just because everyone else has sucked out my will to live.

Ryan is a tiny little thing, isn’t he?

Allison Iraheta is 17 and she is another contestant we haven't seen through the auditions or Hollywood Week. Unlike Jeanine she doesn't whine about it. Probably because she's actually good. Allison has really vivid pink hair and seems stoned when talking with Ryan before her performance. I will put it down to nerves. Let's hope we don't have another Jason Castro on our hands. She chooses "Alone" by Heart and based on her raspy voice it could be a great song choice. She isn’t as good as Amanda Overmeyer when she sang the song but she’s still pretty good. It’s back to Randy to start things off and he thinks she “blew it out the box.” Is Randy the biggest poseur of a black man or is it just me? Kara calls her serious and great. Her performance must be better in person or just fatigue from bad performances but I didn’t think it was that good. Paula said she could sing the telephone book and was the best so far. Not with the telephone book again! That got really old with David Archuleta last season. Simon agreed that she was the best so far by a clear mile (not really saying much though), he did call her on being boring in her interview with Ryan. Based on the performance so far, she's in as the top girl.

Kris Allen appears next and he is very cute. We haven't seen much of him either and it's probably going to stay that way when he picks "Man in the Mirror" by Michael Jackson.
I immediately wince. Aren't these contestants coached on song selections? Most of them have been horrific so far. To top it off, Kris has terrible stage presence – all he does is bounce up and down and looks like he is having an epileptic fit. DH is disgusted and so am I. There are millions of songs to chose from and he picks this one? Buh bye Kris, we hardly knew ya and never will…
Kara said the second part of the song was better. Paula thinks he really showed his personality and nailed the song. I question whether she has vodka in her cup. For some reason Simon agrees with Paula. Randy said he proved he could do it without a guitar.

Maybe the sound is much better in person than through my surround sound? I’m confused.

We are joined by another single mother, Megan Joy Corkery. I kind of remember her from Salt Lake City but we haven’t seen her since then. She has a 2 year old son, Ryder. What is up with the single mother trend this season? Unlike most of the other contestants she picks a good song, "Put Your Record On" by Corinne Bailey Rae. She’s very cute but I hate her arm tattoo. She cannot dance and it’s a bit distracting. Megan's singing is good but the first half was much stronger. We get a flash to her mom who is a hotty too. Paula thinks she picked the right song and did everything right. Simon called her a funny little thing and thinks she oversang the second half. Yes! That's what I was trying to put my finger on. Randy is a “big fan” and wants to see her in later rounds. Kara thinks she could be a breakout hit artist. She is giving Allison a run for the money to be picked as the top girl vote getter.

Matt Breitzke is next (aka "The Welder"). He picks a very odd song choice, Tonic's, “If You Could Only See." As I watch him on stage he so doesn’t look like an American Idol but DH reminded me that Rueben and Soul Patrol didn’t either. I’m betting AI would like to take those titles back too. DH thinks it was a good song selection for his voice but I don't agree. There is no demonstration of range. Simon really likes him but hated the song; it was boring and an uncomfortable performance. Randy said the song was kind of boring. Kara said it didn’t show any personality. Paula said he had a good voice but was a poor song choice.

Jesse Langseth who we remember from her sing off against Frankie mentions she is also a single mother. I love red hair and am immediately jealous of hers. She picks "Betty Davis Eyes"which is an awesome song and hard to top. She’s not bad but there is something weird about the way she is singing the song. A little too affected, perhaps? Randy thought it was an OK performance.
Jesse asks for more specific feedback and I hate that shit. Shut up and look pretty. Kara complimented her look and thinks she took some risks that could pay off. Jesse talks again and I’m sick of her. She needs to go. Talking to the judges after every piece of feedback is why I fell out of love with Brooke White last season. Paula calls her captivating but Simon calls her forgettable.

Kai Kalama who takes care of his sick mother decides on "What Becomes of The Broken Hearted." He sings effortlessly compared to the other male performances. Kai has a good voice, decent stage presence, and stupid hair. Kara said the song was old fashioned but he did OK. Paula thinks he sounded really good on the song and gave a good performance. Simon said it was old fashioned, corny and like a wedding singer and Randy called it too safe. I'm not seeing Kai make it past this round.

Mishavonna Henson didn't make it past Hollywood Week last season"but has worked really, really hard" to be in this season's Top 36. She makes another unfortunate song selection with "Drops of Jupiter" by Train. Don't get me wrong, I like the song when it won Song of The Year at the Grammys 7 years ago. Contemporary? Not so much. She also changes the lyrics to be gender appropriate. DH hates that. She has a pretty good voice but something is lacking in the overall package. Paula didn’t think it was an exciting song choice but she can sing. Simon said she was too serious but is technically good, something about the performance left him cold. Randy agrees that she seems so much older than 18 and doesn’t like a solo singer performing a band song. Kara wants her to loosen up. Mishavonna discovers that second time around is not the charm...

The money spot is given to Adam Lambert. I can’t stand this kid and I actively hated him through his auditions. You remember Adam. He's the musical theatre freak who hasn’t been able to make it on his own so he’s turning to AI for a record deal. He settles on "Satisfaction" by the Rolling Stones. DH calls it the best performance of the night but I am distracted by his weird facial expressions and think it's really cabaret. I know he's going to make it through - I bet every person in the money spot will. That's why Lil Rounds will probably have it next week. I just hope he doesn't make it too far in the Top 12. And his fashion sense and black, black hair give him an odd goth appearance. Paula gives him a standing ovation and was extremely impressed. I’m paraphrasing here because it took her 5 minutes to say the same thing. Simon thought there were equal parts brilliance and terribleness. Randy loved it and called Adam really contemporary. Kara called his vocal technical outrageous.

So who is through? Adam Lambert and Allison are the Top 2 vote getters. Third? Could be Nick/Norman for entertainment or Matt Breitzke for likeability or Jesse for a decent performance.