American Idol: Top 12 Guys Perform

Todrick Hall (24) is the actor/dancer of the competition. He decides to go with Kelly Clarkson's, "Since You've Been Gone." He totally changes up the arrangement and decides that doing a slam poetry version is the way to go. Not a good call. It doesn't show off any of his vocal skills and I question after that performance if he has any. I appreciate that Todrick is trying to make the song fresh but for a first performance I would have preferred to really hear him sing. Ellen appreciates the enthusiasm from the crowd but admits the singing wasn't the greatest. Randy is a fan but he didn't like the arrangement. Kara agrees with Randy. What the hell is she wearing? Simon nails it with a dancer trying to sing comment.

Aaron Kelly goes with a Rascal Flatt song and DH immediately comments on his lack of stage presence. He's obviously nervous. I wonder why he decided on a country song rather than an Aaron Carter one. They are doppelgangers after all. There are some pitchy notes but Aaron does get a little more comfortable as the song progresses. Simon shows some sympathy and calls it quite a good performance. He encourages Aaron to gain some confidence. Kara comments on his raw, natural talent. Randy agrees. I have a feeling that Randy will be getting the short end of the stick this season from me in my recaps. He's just so blah. Ellen loves it.

Jermaine Sellers (27) goes with "Get Here." Did we see him in the auditions? I can't remember him. Jermaine doesn't do himself any favors by picking this boring song. Wasn't this song the anthem of the first Iraq war? I seem to remember it being really popular and used for commercials and other background montages. Yes, I am that bored by Jermaine's performance that I'd prefer talking about the insipid song. Ellen loves his look and the song. Really, Ellen? She doesn't think he really felt the song. Randy didn't like the song selection but likes his look. Kara didn't think that the vocal runs were meaningful and it felt old. Simon thought Jermaine over-sang the song. And predicts that Jermaine is going home.

Tim Urban goes with a One Republic song, "Apologize." Good choice in that it's instantly recognizable. Bad choice in that he doesn't do it nearly as well as the lead singer for that band. The falsetto notes are absolutely terrible. But he has the Twilight hair so he could be safe, regardless. If the readers don't know, Tim replaced another contestant who was kicked out because of a previous recording contract. Simon references it and says that the judges were correct in not letting him through the first time. Kara said that the music overpowered him. Randy thinks it was the wrong song. Ellen feels bad for Tim.

I'm really feeling the fatigue of four judges commenting. Get rid of Randy or Kara and give that salary to Simon to stay on with a panel of only three judges. We meet Joe Munoz for the first time. He is the Mexican version of David Archuleta. He picks a Jason Mraz song. Joe is a good singer but has a weird warbling in his voice at times. DH likes him except for the mumbling. Ellen thinks Joe was really comfortable on stage. Randy didn't think it was the perfect song choice but that Joe has a great voice. Kara actually likes the song selection and thinks Joe has been the best so far. Simon kind of agrees with Kara but thinks Joe needs a lot of work.

Tyler Grady (23) is the broken wrist guy and decides to go with "American Woman." Most of us know this song as the Lenny Kravitz remake. It's a great song choice for his style. He does a decent job but his voice gets lost in the music occasionally. I expected a lot more energy and connection to the song than Tyler shows here. Simon thinks that people will remember the performance but for the wrong reasons. Kara agrees. The camera flashes on Tyler and he looks bored. Randy says it was style over substance. A pithy, accurate comment. There might be hope for Randy yet. Ellen thinks Tyler is a pale version of his '70s heroes.

Lee Dewyze (23) goes with "Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol. I love this song! Winter of 2008 when we drove up North we must have heard it a 100 times. Got to love Sirius. He's the first guy to accompany himself on guitar. It's a great song selection for his voice but Lee changes it up with his more gravely intonations. A very good job. Ellen thought there was some screaming instead of singing but liked it overall. Randy disagrees with "E" and thought that Lee should have picked a rocker song. Wow, there is no winning for these contestants, is there? Kara agrees that the range was too small for Lee. Simon totally agrees with me and my heart breaks a little more that this is his last season.

John Park (21) is the token Asian. He goes with "God Bless The Child." A very, very interesting song selection and one that I think will bite him in the ass. John starts out very soft and boring. I think part of the problem is that the pitch is too low for him. Even when the song picks up I am still yawning. A long three minutes. Simon thinks that John's voice was flat and not good enough to sing the song. Kara agrees. Randy agrees. Ellen liked the performance and hopes that the audience votes for John.

Big Mike says how proud he is of his wife so I thaw a little at him missing the birth of his daughter. He goes with "This Love" by Maroon 5. A tough song. I did not realize he played the guitar...not that he did that much with it during the performance. It's a decent performance but, dare I say it? A little karaoke. He's totally safe though. He's got the good guy thing going for him. Ellen loves Mike's personality. Randy agrees. Kara enjoys the energy of the performance. Simon called it the support act before the main act. He thinks Mike can do better.

Alex Lambert picks "Wonderful World" and I feel like I should know this song but he doesn't do a good enough version of it for me to remember. You probably know Alex from the painfulness of the group round where he was a supporting player in the Mary Powers melt down. Unfortunately we seem him melt down on stage with a terrible performance. Simon was happy that the song was over. Kara wants to give Alex a hug. No need to keep shoveling shit on the poor boy. Randy also comments on Alex's potential. Given his lack of exposure during the audition rounds I have to take the judges' word for it. Ellen calls him adorable and comments on the mullet. Awesomeness.

Casey James goes with "Heaven." This guy did a 180 for me from his shirtless audition to his kick ass auditions at Hollywood week. True to form he accompanies himself on the guitar. And does a great job putting a more rock edge on a sappy pop song. DH notes that Simon and Ryan will totally play up the Kara/Casey angle all season long. And I have a feeling that Casey will be in the competition for a very long time. DH is totally right when the other judges make Kara go first. Kara comments on an occasional pitchiness. She lobs it over to Ellen who says that Kara was undressing Casey with her eyes. Randy makes a funny when saying they both share the model vibe. Simon comments on their shared good looks and really liked the performance. This guy is going far.

Who can top that performance? My boy Andrew Garcia. Yes, I'm actively rooting for this guy. I get a great David Cook vibe off of him. He selects "Sugar, I'm Going Down" by the Fallout Boys. I'm immediately nervous because I don't know this song. But not to worry, Andrew kicks some serious ass. He is excellent at controlling his voice, the pace and doing it all while playing the guitar. Andrew is extremely talented. After the first week, he could take the crown. Simon totally disagrees with me and calls it indulgent. OK, Simon. I have to pick on you for this one because he can't make crazy arrangement every single time. Kara thought it was a strange rendition of the song. I'm still standing strong with my label of awesomeness. Randy agrees with Kara and Simon. Ellen agrees with the other three. I'm ignoring them and still think Andrew was the best of the night.

So, who's out? Jermaine, John Park or Todrick. Also potentially on the chopping block is Alex Lambert.

SJ out.

American Idol: Top 12 Ladies Perform

Paige Miles (24) is a pre-school teacher. I don't really remember her from the auditions but she appears to have a gospel vibe from the clip we see. She decides on "It's All Right Now" which is an interesting and frankly poor song choice. I'm not sure what is going on with this performance but it's pretty bad. When Paige gets to the chorus she sounds shaky. Aside from a few good notes and runs, the judges are going to eviscerate her. Let's listen, shall we? Simon thinks she has the best voice BUT hates the song for its wedding singer qualities. Kara disagrees and steps into the Paula role immediately. She thinks Paige was awesome. Randy agrees with both of them and continues his downward spiral. Ellen is looking gaunt these days, isn't she? I think it makes her look older. Unlike me and Simon Ellen thinks Paige pulls it off.

Up next is Ashley Rodriguez (23) from Cambridge. Ashley is one of my top picks. Let's see how she does. She picks a song from a Simon protege Leona Lewis, "Happy." Another interesting song choice. Ashley does a nice job but she's kind of boring. Perhaps she's afraid of peaking too early? Kara starts off first and mentions nice moments mixed with some criticism of the arrangement. Randy agrees. Ellen agrees. And apparently I am old because this is a hit? Simon calls it clumsy. Ashley has a lot of room for improvement and suffers from not being featured in the audition rounds. So she could be in trouble.

Janelle Wheeler (24) is another favorite of mine. She picks, "What About Love" by Heart. A classic and hard to do well. Another shaky start. It's a bad song selection for her type of voice. Simon is totally going to call it karaoke. These girls are really disappointing tonight. The judges are going round robin so Randy starts. He agrees with the poor song selection. Ellen loves the song and thinks Janelle sung it well with a couple of missed notes. Simon called it 100% effort and 65% excellence. Kara likes Janelle but the song was too big for her. I think that Janelle's niceness and blondness will get her through to next week.

We didn't see faux Stevie Nicks, Lilly Scott (20) until the end of the auditions. I'm vibing her and she selects "Fixing a Hole" by The Beatles and accompanies herself on the guitar. It's a nice song selection for her jazzy voice. Ellen really likes it and comments on Lilly's distinct voice. Simon calls it the best so far (not a high bar). He's also concerned that she isn't demonstrating star power. A good point. Kara calls her believable. Randy says Lilly is an indie artist.

"Oh Darlin'" Is the song selection by Katelyn Epperly. She looks vampy with her big hair, black hair ornament and black faux leather mini dress. Unlike most of the other performances Katelyn seems very comfortable on stage and polished. She could go far. Simon thought the performance was messy (should I clean my ears out?) and likes her. Kara thinks that Katelyn really knows her voice but doesn't like the makeover. Randy compliments her tone. Ellen thinks she has a great voice and a lot of personality on stage.

Country girl Hayley Vaughn (16) got her nose pierced as a reward for making it to Hollywood Week. She decides on the awesomeness that is "I Want To Hold Your Hand." And makes very poor arrangement and vocal decisions. I have never really understood why the judges have fawned over her. So this performance is not changing my mind. DH says if she makes the Top 12 Hayley will be his first elimination pick. I wish she wouldn't make it through to next week but she's young, cute and will have the tween vote. Kara thought the performance was a mess but Hayley's stage presence makes up for it. Randy loves her because she's 16. Enough said. Randy also nicknames Ellen "E". So "E" thinks Hayley shined. Simon thought it was verging on terrible. Word.

An hour in and Lacey Brown boldly selects, "Landslide." Considering I just heard the Stevie Nicks version on my iPod this afternoon I can't help but unfavorably compare Lacey's performance. She also does a weird slurring of words and makes it seem like she has a lisp. Seriously, go back and listen if you don't believe me. Randy dings Lacey on the song selection and said it was pitchy and terrible. Ellen thinks Lacey was better than that but expresses doubt she will be back next week. Simon called it depressing and indulgent. Given the harsh criticism I'm surprised that Lacey's not crying. Kara gives some advice on future song selection and says she hopes Lacey will be back.

Michelle Delamour picks "Falling" which is one of the better song selections tonight. Her vocals aren't as good as Alicia Keyes but she does a respectable job. DH calls it the best of the night. Ellen calls it fantastic but a little safe because it seemed easy for Michelle. Simon thinks it was professional but not a "wow" performance. Kara slips into her Paula shoes and thinks Michelle looks great. Randy says that it was great but she needs to take some risks. Totally safe.

Didi Benami decides on "The Way I Am" and cements the Brooke White comparison for me. With a dash of Meghan Coarkery thrown in for good measure. Good song and a good singer but a bit boring. Simon called it indulgent and trying too hard to sound like Duffy. Kara thinks the arrangement was nice. Randy agrees with Simon that Didi lacked a star factor. Ellen also thinks for a first impression song that it was a little too low key. I think Didi will be just fine.

Siobhan Magnus is the glassblowing apprentice. Love that. But I hate (even though I know it's the traditional Irish) the spelling of her name. She goes for the classic, "Wicked Game" by Chris Isaac. Remember how hot that video was? If I remember correctly Chris ended up dating or marrying that model. The flower in Siobhan's hair makes me think of Jasmine and it's a bit incongruous for her style. Siobhan does a nice job but it's a bit boring. Kara wouldn't have selected that song but liked it for Siobhan. Randy negatively compares it to her Stevie Wonder performance in auditions. Ellen loved it. Simon calls Siobhan a "funny little thing." He agrees with Randy but still liked it.

Crystal Bowersox (aka tattoo mom) goes for Alanis Morrissette's "Hand In My Pocket." Bold choice and a great fit for her style and voice. Crystal accompanies herself on guitar and harmonica. Unlike every other performance we've seen tonight she absolutely nails it. I see her going very, very far. Randy loves her originality but thinks it wasn't a good song selection. I disagree with the latter part of that statement. Ellen is a fan. Simon disparages her back story and thinks it wasn't very original because it was too close to Alanis' performance. He gives excellent advice for Crystal to become more like Adam Lambert and David Cook. Kara thinks Crystal has the ability to be great but isn't quite there.

Katie Stevens (17) decides on "Feeling Good." Not to channel Randy or anything but Katie's voice is really amazing for her age. Great control and big range. I think she'll easily make it to the Top 12. Ellen thinks it was great but the song was conservative for her age. Simon agrees with Ellen that Katie should pick a song more suited to her youth. Kara says the song was pitchy...I guess I need a hearing check because I didn't hear that. Randy thinks she has a big voice and will do better next time. The judges were a bit harsh but I think she will be around for many weeks to come. After all, Katie got the money spot for a reason.

So who's out? Lacey for sure. And I hope Hayley. Other than that, it's a crap shoot.

SJ out.

Cameron: eleven months old

Dear Cameron,

Your Daddy and I can't believe how awesome you are. This month has been a big turning point for you and you've handled it with grace and pizazz...keep that in mind when you enter the dreaded puberty years!

In your tenth month you moved from the Infant room to the Waddler room in school. And you have had a ball. It has also forced Mommy and Daddy to finally tackle baby proofing the house. Now you can pull yourself into a sitting position. And onto your knees. And finally up to your feet. You like to hold on to the furniture rather than Mommy or Daddy to walk around the room.

Your vocabulary has expanded although it is much more your listening vocabulary than your talking one. Although I distinctly heard a "Daddy!" while you were looking at him out the window. Lucky guy.


On the not so plus side you have also taken into ignoring us. True, the word "no" is becoming one of the more frequently used ones but so is "love". So I think it balances out. The head shake is back stronger than ever, particularly as it relates to food. You seem to have this aversion to eating for Mommy and Daddy but gobble everything up in school. I would be less insulted if you didn't consistently refuse pasta. Pasta! It's the lynch pin of the dining world so you will learn to love it.

Now that you have made great strides in mobility you would prefer to ignore your dozens of toys in favor of snatching at anything that is not yours. Sigh. I have a feeling that phase is going to last a very long time. You still screech with delight as you commando crawl across the floor. But now you also reward yourself with a scream when you have successfully pulled yourself up. All by yourself.

I can't believe how quickly you grew up in the last month. My little baby is almost a baby no more. We can't wait to see what you will do next.

Love,

Mommy and Daddy

The post where I admit I was wrong

It has been just over two weeks since Cameron was moved out of the little infant room into the Waddler room. I love that name because it is so apt. Ironic that pregnant women waddle too, isn't it? The plan is for Cameron to stay there until sometime after she hits the two mark. So I had better really like the teachers and the curriculum.

And guess what? I do! I know, I will pause here where you all gasp in shock that I am comfortable and happy with our daycare situation.

I really like the main teacher, Miss Melba. She is extremely engaged with the kids and always on the floor playing or singing to them. There is also a more defined curriculum than the eating, sleeping and pooping that we experienced in the Infant room. They teach them how to eat on their own, sitting in little chairs at a long table with their own bowls and plates and utensils. How freaking cute is that? Cameron is in the high chair but she'll be down there as soon as she starts walking. So basically any day.

Another adorable thing they have the the waddlers do is wash their hands after having their diapers changed. I actually got to witness this and I almost cried it was so cute. Miss Melba flipped Cameron over to her belly and had her move up to the attached sink. A dab of soap, splashes of water and a quick dry with a paper towel. I must try to take a video so I can post it here.

Cameron plays really, really hard all day long. Sometimes that means she only takes one nap. And guess what? I don't stress about it! I know, another shocking revelation from the sleep queen. We still leverage the third nap as a tool to keep Cameron from being overly tired. DH loves that he can just pick her up, she almost conks out in the car and he puts her down for a 45 minute or hour nap.

I'm also convinced that the physical development Cameron has shown over the past week is due in no small part to watching and learning from the other waddlers. She absolutely loves to watch the "older" kids and emulate them. My little munchkin is growing up far too quickly!

A nice tasty treat for Cameron as a reward for pulling herself up.

Annoyance at having her picture taken. AGAIN.
I knew that Cameron would love playing with this enormous packages of toilet paper. Isn't it funny how kids get enthralled with odd things?

A rare Cameron and Mommy shot.

Um, think it is time for us to baby proof? So far we've installed the interior latches for key (aka low) cabinets and drawers and also installed baby gates at the top and bottom of the stairs. That's it for now. But I'm sure we'll need to do more as Cameron starts really walking.

Almost there

Cameron has made huge strides in her physical development over the past week. I can't believe it's only been a week, that's how far she has come. While Cameron insists on continuing her commando crawling she has now figured out how to bring herself into a sitting position. And pull herself up on just about everything. And perhaps the scariest development of all? Well, check out the video and you'll see!

American Idol: Top 24 Part 2

The first part of the recap on who has been ushered through to potential stardom (or obscurity if you are Taylor Hicks) can be found here.

Despite Simon not remembering her, Janell Wheeler does a nice job with her first round in Hollywood Week. Not so good were her group and final auditions. She seems genuinely nice and is also very pretty and blond. That will help because she is in. I'm sure it will also help that she's willing to wear micro-minis.

Tyler Grady comes up and Kara is kind of in love with him. If you don't remember him he is the guy who fell out of a tree and broke both wrists. With his hair and lean looks it seems like Casey has some competition! He is designated Boy #5 and more hopes are dashed in the waiting room. I kind of like Tyler's sense of humor and fell a little bit in love with him when he smoothly shook Ryan's hand post The Chair and didn't say anything else.

We get a flashback from last season when we see the end of the sing off between current contestant Lacey Brown and Megan Joy. Dude, remember Megan? She of the weird voice who lasted far too long with her crazy dance moves? Somehow despite losing to the awfulness that was Megan and Simon announcing that the ladies' competition was uber strong this season she makes it as girl #5. I miss the sing off. It's probably the only thing I miss from last season.

Ashley Rodriguez who I'm sure Ryan will nickname A-Rod due to his level of originality is one of the most talented girls, in my opinion. She is quickly through. Let me pause here for a minute to talk about air time vs. success in the America votes part of the competition. I actually think that a few special cases aside (I'm looking at you Gokey), the contestants who get the most audition air time tend to do worse overall. Do I have statistics to back me up? Nope. Just a gut feel after watching 7 previous seasons. Yes, that's right. I didn't see the first season. Don't judge.

Alex Lambert and Joe Munoz are quickly guy #6 and #7. I'm sure I will incorrectly call Alex "Adam" until he is voted off.

Crystal Bowersox, she of the new tattoo to honor her son, is up next. Simon rightly tells her that she appears to think she is too good for the show. But her voice is all kinds of awesomeness. I do hope that she makes it to the makeover portion of the show so that she can get veneers or at least teeth whitening done by the show. I think she has a chance to go far but I do hope she gets rid of the dread locks before the live show starts. I didn't like it on Castro and I definitely don't like it on her.

Post montage of people who have already been let through we see Katie Stevens again. Her particular sob story is that of a grandmother with Alzheimer's. She's very cute and I think if she makes it she will go to the Top 12. Ellen doesn't screw with her very much and Katie is in.

Quick montage of people who don't make it. Thank goodness weird glasses girl was among them. Also cut was squeaky voice girl who flew from Italy to audition. Angela Martin is in her third attempt to make it. You might remember Angela as the girl who had to leave Hollywood Week last year because she had a bench warrant out against her. A dead daddy and a daughter with serious mental and health issues Angela probably has the best/worst sob story of them all. To no avail, however, as she is cut.

Lilly Scott has a wonderful jazz style. I commented before how much she sounds like Ella Fitzgerald. Interestingly her look is more reminiscent of Stevie Nicks. She needs to lay of the eye liner. The judges make the right call and Lilly is in the Top 24.

Paige Miles who we've never seen is through as is Siobhan (glass blower). Side note, DH toyed with the idea of naming Cameron Siobhan before she was born. I put the kibosh on it quickly. Even reading it now I have to struggle to pronounce it. Yes, I know how to say it but the letters don't match the pronunciation.

Also through is Michelle Delamor, Jermaine S and John Park.

Haeley Vaughn is in and Tori Kelly is OUT. Sorry, a little Heidi Klum flashback there. Haeley has a chance to do really well or completely crash and burn. Song selection will be critical for the wanna be black country singer.

Thaddeus Johnson vs. Andrew Garcia. Thad has this odd Kid 'N Play vibe with his hair. His mother is a little too enthusiastic. DH said he's be in but there are no girl spots left. Cruel but also factual. Does anyone even wonder who is in? I thought not. Andrew Garcia is a little old for the competition, and, let's face it, he's probably the least attractive of all the guys, but there's something about his style I really like.

OK, time to wrap it up.

Guys:
Aaron Kelly
Todrick Hall
Alex Lambert
Casey James
John Park
Jose Munoz
Jermaine Sellers
Tim Urban
Lee DeWyze
Michael Lynche
Tyler Grady

Girls:
Ashley Rodriguez
Haeley Vaughn
Janell Wheeler
Katelyn Epperly
Katie Stevens
Lacey Brown
Lilly Scott
Michelle Delamor
Didi Bemani
Crystal Bowersox
Paige Miles
Siobhan Magnus

Hollywood Week: Top 24

Apparently I didn't miss much by not completing the last episode since only 7 of the Top 24 were revealed. Before I get started with the results I do have to admit that I am dragging this season on posting recaps of the show. I need some inspiration to keep going as the two hour twice a week shows get started next week. So if you want me to keep the recaps up, please post a comment!

I found a great article on the myths and realities of the audition process if you are interested. You can find the article here. And I breath a sigh of relief that the audition process is officially over after tonight.

Up first to face the Chair is the baby daddy, Michael Lynche. I liked this guy in all of his auditions but think he won't go too far in the regular competition. He just doesn't have the range of many of the other guys. Oh, did I forget to mention he's in after crying his way from the waiting room to The Chair on stage? Well, it's no wonder because his dad spilled the beans to the entire world a few weeks ago and almost got Big Mike kicked out. Good job, Grandpa!

Following Michael is Didi who I really, really liked in her original audition even if she did suck up to Kara by singing one of her songs. She reminds me of all the good things I liked about Brooke White. We also found out (or were supposed to know already? so hard to keep track of the sob stories) that her best friend kicked the bucket and that was her inspiration for trying out. It also lead to her ASPCA Sarah McLachlan song. After being dicked around for a bit she's in. Guess what? She cries. I feel like I should create a macro for that phrase. We'll see it a lot this season.

Two up and two in. The more intelligent contestants (is that an oxymoron?) are probably counting their odds and not liking it.

Another girl, Katelyn Epperly is invited to The Chair next. I vaguely remember her whining about her parents' divorce in the auditions. Katelyn has hair that reminds me of my college freshman roommate. AKA awesome. Ellen does an excellent job of screwing with her but Katelyn is in. I don't think she'll make the Top 12, however. She is just a little too serious and not in a good Adam Lambert kind of way.

A third girl, Shelby, who didn't do so well at Hollywood Week aside from her last performance, is up next. As she properly notes, her odds are not good and we say good-bye to her hopes for the Top 24. Simon liked her so Shelby could have gone far (because we all know Simon is usually right) but majority rules and Randy gives the pink slip. DH is happy because of her oddly tilted mouth. He wasn't looking forward to seeing her talk out of only one side of her mouth regularly.

Casey Jones who completely redeemed himself from his embarrassing shirtless, hair down audition is the next guy to approach the stage. He did a really great job at Hollywood Week and I think aside from his audition faux paux he has a shot to go pretty far. After all, Casey can play an instrument and has a good package. What? I was talking about the singing, playing and overall look. Needless to say, after a quick reference to his flowing locks, Casey is through. The only caveat to Casey's potential success is that his personality isn't so great. He needs to work on that. We'll see how he does kibitzing with Ryan.

A teeny bopper type, Aaron Kelly follows. He made the unpardonable sin of forgetting the lyrics during group sing. Aaron really has a Federline type thing going, doesn't he? We didn't see much of Aaron during auditions but he has a nice talent and the tweens will love him. Ellen wants to pet him and tells Aaron he's through.

Lee D. didn't do so well during auditions including forgetting the words to one of the biggest hits of 2009. He's obviously not making it through but we still have to suffer through his clips. Kara in her space worthy shirt questions Lee's commitment to being a star and owning the stage. Somehow Lee skates through and I scratch my head for the first time.

Todrick who should go an audition for a dance show is up next. He's the guy who we saw performing back flips constantly. Todrick compares himself to Fantasia despite no experience singing. Kara doesn't even say anything other than "yes."

Moving right along, we see Jessica Furney. She strikes me as a little bit of a stalker. Attempting to appear cool she lounges in the leather Chair. Total wimp move to replace the stark Chair of past seasons. Regardless, Randy cuts her quickly and Jessica starts begging. Not a good look. Despite the montage of happy Top 24 contestants we kind of end on a low note.

OK, American Idol decided to screw with me so I will not be recapping the 7 guys and 10 girls still be announced until tomorrow. I will note that aside from Todrick, so far the leaked Top 24 list from a few weeks ago is accurate.