American Idol
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In case I haven’t mentioned it thus far, I’m currently 38 weeks pregnant, so tonight I’m taking a bit of a break. I’m posting the “just the facts, ma’am” version of the results show recap.

Jason Castro— safe
David Archuleta— safe
David Cook— safe
Syesha Mercado— safe
Brooke White— going home

By the way, Dial Idol was wrong about the results tonight, or the results are rigged, or it wasn’t really a bottom 2 tonight. Dial Idol showed David Cook and Syesha in the 1-2 position, with the other three in jeapordy. Of course, I don’t recall that they actually said it was a “bottom 2” tonight, so perhaps she really was in the 1-2 slot.

I liked Brooke a lot, but I think she’d taken American Idol about as far as she could. I wish her the best of luck in the future and hope she really has quite a successful career.

Who will go home tomorrow night?
Jason Castro: 56% (9)
David Cook: 0% (0)
Brooke White: 31% (5)
David Archuleta: 0% (0)
Syesha Mercado: 12% (2)
Total Votes : 16

Wow, that was possibly the weirdest night of American Idol I’ve ever watched. The conspiracy theorists who insist the show is rigged must have LOVED tonight! So, it was Neil Diamond night, which doesn’t sound like a wild evening, but little did we know… The performers were singing two songs each tonight, and originally it was announced that both songs would be judged after the second songs were performed, although a change in plans later led to madness. Madness, I tell you!

Jason Castro was up first and sixth, singing “Forever in Blue Jeans” and “September Morn”. I thought his voice sounded great on the first song and that it was a great song. The lyrics and the vocals suited him. The second song was not his most interesting. His voice sounded good, but it was a boring performance. Randy didn’t like either song and then repeated a phrase that I often hear of American Idol— this is the search for America’s best vocalist. Really?? No, it isn’t. It’s a search for a musical package (leaning heavily on a pop image). If it’s the search for America’s best vocalist, how did Amanda Overmeyer ever make it to the top 24? Why are all the opera people cut early on? Because it’s not about who’s the best vocalist. During Paula’s initial critique of Jason is when things went crazy. If you didn’t see it, it’s below:

Yes, that’s right! Paula critiqued a performance we hadn’t yet seen!! She tried to play this off as having read David Cook’s critique (but there’s no way it was). But let’s face it. What does this say? To me it says that the judges know ahead of time what they’re going to say. How do they know? There are a couple of possibilities. One, the responses are scripted. The judges don’t come up with anything they’re going to say. Two, the judges pre-write their responses based on the rehearsals that they see earlier. Three, knowing Paula’s love of rambling and knowing it was a short show, Paula was handed a script for tonight. (I’d love to hear other theories, as well.)

So, on to the rest of the judges’ critiques of Jason… Simon said he struggled in both songs. He pulled out his favorite word forgettable to refer to Jason.

David Cook sang “I’m Alive” and “All I Really Need Is You”. I’m pretty sure the first song was for David’s brother Adam, who is struggling with cancer and was able to attend a show a couple of weeks ago (the night David was so choked up). So, the “AC”on his jacket tonight was for his brother, as well. The second song was good, calmer than usual for David and not my favorite performance of his but still good. Randy said he rocked the house. Simon said the first song was okay but the second song was brilliant.

Brook White sang “I’m a Believer” and “I Am, I Said”. The first song was dreadful. Really. Dreadful. I almost couldn’t listen to the whole performance, but I just kept thinking “it’s got to get better, right?” No, not really. The song was too low for her, and she just could not have picked a worse song if she tried. The second song was much better than the first. In fact, it was quite good. Much better suited for her. Randy said she did a nice job, saying the first song was better than her performance last week— are you high? Simon said the first song was a nightmare (it was), and the second song was a million times better (it was).

David Archuleta sang “Sweet Caroline” and “America” (I was wrong on the “Heartlight” prediction— rats!) I’m just really tired of watching David Archuleta perform the same grinning, cheesey, overly sincere performance each and every week. All the songs are starting to blend together, which is never more apparent than when he has to sing two songs in one week. My opinion aside, he’ll probably be around until the finale. People who love him really love him— I just don’t happen to be one of them. Randy, as usual, raved about David Archuleta (or at least whoever writes his reviews did). Simon said the first song was amateurish but praised the second song choice as very smart (not unlike Kristy Lee Cook’s “God Bless the USA”).

Up last tonight was Syesha Mercado. Syesha sang “Hello Again” and “Thank the Lord for the Nighttime”. I thought Syesha performed miles better than usual. The first song was quite pretty, although it wasn’t terribly interesting. The second song actually had quite a bit of personality. Randy said she’s finally realized who she is as a singer— I think that’s partially right. Simon said she is a good singer/actress (I agree) but that she may be in trouble tonight. When asked why, he said because there are only five left. He’s right. Someone has to go home tomorrow night, and it won’t necessarily be the worst vocalist.

So, here’s my order for tonight, although it was difficult.

1. David Cook (this one wasn’t hard for me to figure out).
2. Syesha Mercado (at least she was consistent tonight)
3. David Archuleta (also consistent, even if I don’t like the consistency)
4. Jason Castro (I guess I thought his second performance wasn’t as bad as Brooke’s first performance)
5. Brooke White (That first song was horrific)

I could make an argument for pretty much any arrangement possible for places two through four. What’s your order?

Did Carly deserve to go home?
Yes: 21% (5)
If not this week, then next: 12% (3)
Eventually: 62% (15)
No, she should have won: 4% (1)
Total Votes : 24

Here’s the quick summary of the results show. The group medley was “All I Ask of You”. The Ford video was to “Tainted Love” (Carly and David Cook are the most likely ones in the group to have a cartoon character modeled after them). George Bush sent a video thanking viewers for participating in Idol Gives Back.

Then the eliminations started. The Davids were called out, and both were safe.

There was a package on Idol performers on Broadway, featuring Tamyra Gray, who is currently appearing in Rent, and Clay Aiken, who is currently appearing in Spamalot.

Leona Lewis (X Factor winner) performed.

Syesha and Brooke were called out, and Brooke was safe.

Tonight there was only a bottom 2, so Jason and Carly were called out to determine who would fill out the bottom 2. Carly joined Syesha in the bottom 2 and was, ultimately, sent home.

So, what do you think? Were you disappointed? Did Carly deserve to go home?

Next week will be Neil Diamond week, and I think the question burning in all our minds is— will David Archuleta sing “Heartlight”?

Which was your favorite performance tonight?
Syesha Mercado: 12% (3)
Jason Castro: 0% (0)
Brooke White: 8% (2)
David Archuleta: 35% (9)
Carly Smithson: 15% (4)
David Cook: 31% (8)
Total Votes : 26

Andrew Lloyd Weber night. A phrase that I’m sure had many of the contestants quaking in their boots. How can you avoid Simon telling a performance is too Broadway when you’re singing Andrew Lloyd Weber. Even Randy said this would be the toughest night of the season. In all honesty, shouldn’t they consider just letting them all be safe this week? Actually, some fared decently— others not so well.

Syesha Mercado started off the night singing “One Rock and Roll Too Many” from Starlight Express. Andrew Lloyd Weber was impressed with her abilities, and this was her best performance, in spite of the fact that she was actually more animated during the rehearsal. I’m not sure why she’s pursuing a pop career, instead of just going straight for a career on Broadway. Perhaps that’s her intended path, and this is just for publicity. Randy agreed that she could be a huge Broadway star, and Simon was much more impressed with her singing this genre than any other.

I can’t believe Jason Castro didn’t know “Memory” was a really big song. I get not knowing a lot of Andrew Lloyd Weber musicals, but haven’t you heard “Memory” a thousand times on elevators, if nowhere else? He also didn’t know that Cats was about, well, cats. That’s okay. That concept threw me too when I first saw the musical. I liked that he wasn’t terribly familiar with the song, though, as it allowed him to just sing it the way it sounded to him and not try to sound like an impression of Betty Buckley (the original cast member to sing the song, whom you may remember as Abby from Eight is Enough if you’re old enough to remember such things). I think Randy is probably biased against the song (I am too, frankly), as he called it a train wreck, and I don’t think it was more than perhaps a minor fender bender. Simon said it was a very long two minutes and that Jason seemed miserable.

Brooke White sang “You Must Love Me” from Evita (the movie). She had another start over moment, this time because she forgot the lyric. This caused controversy among the judges. Paula, who applauded her starting over the last time, told her she should never start over. But Simon and Randy both agreed that it was better to start over than try to make up the lyrics. In spite of that, I thought it was a nice, emotional, honest performance. Randy and Simon disagreed, saying it was at best so-so.

You know how I like it when David Cook takes a song and makes it his own? I feel hypocritical saying I wasn’t as thrilled with David Archuleta taking “Think of Me” and turning it into a pop ballad. I was glad that Andrew Lloyd Weber gave him the instruction to open his eyes— yes, please! It was an interesting version, and it sounded modern. However, I wasn’t crazy about it. I like the original, I guess. Randy thought it was the bomb, and Paula declared it perfect. Simon said it was pleasant and one of his weakest performances.

Andrew Lloyd Weber saved Carly Smithson bacon. She was all set to sing “All I Ask of You”, which would have been a horrible, horrible choice for her, which Andrew Lloyd Weber told her, so she switched to “Jesus Christ Superstar”. It was definitely a better choice, although it was a little screechy in parts. Even thought it was a much better choice, I’m not sure the performance will save her from the bottom three. Randy said it wasn’t her best performance but was good. Simon said that it was a little shouty but was one of his favorite performances of the night.

The final performance of the night was David Cook, who revealed something SHOCKING! He’s a former musical theater performer. What?!? How do I always choose the musical theater person as my favorite? I was really surprised with his choice of “Music of the Night”. I had really expected him to choose something from Jesus Christ Superstar or Starlight Express. I never expected him to choose something from Phantom. The performance started a bit weak, but pretty quickly he got into the song. He hit several notes that I didn’t think he could hit. Randy said it was an amazing vocal performance. Simon wasn’t that crazy about that style of music for David (don’t worry, Simon, I don’t think he plans to head for Broadway), but thought he did a decent job with the song.

So, who will be in the bottom three tomorrow? I’m really not sure. I’m pretty sure it won’t be either of the Davids. Other than that, it’s anyone’s game. Based on tonight’s performance, it should probably be Brooke or Jason. But I’m not sure the voting will support that. Here’s my order of favorites for the night.

1. David Cook
2. Syesha Mercado
3. Carly Smithson
4. Brooke White
5. Jason Cook
6. David Archuleta

Tonight was the dreaded split them into two groups of three, then let the 7th person decide which group they think is safe. There were a few changes to the format, but it was familiar. Nothing as shocking as the year when the three divas were in the bottom three, though.

So, after the initial group medley, Jason Castro was sent left, David Cook right. Carly, left. Kristy Lee, right.

Then there was a commercial break, followed by the Ford commercial, which included the song “I Want to Break Free”. Then, despite the recent death of his mother, Elliott Yamin performed.

Syesha was sent to the left, Brooke to the right.

Then it was my “favorite” time of the night— phone calls from viewers. The most interesting information gleaned from tonight’s calls was the guy who bought Kristy Lee Cook’s horse refuses to sell it back (shame on you, sir) and David Cook is single. There were some interesting questions for the judges, which they pretty much refused to answer. My favorite was a caller who asked Simon to clarify the difference between “karaoke”, “theme park”, and “piano bar” performances. He just answered that they were all horrible.

Mariah Carey performed “Bye, Bye”. Then it was back to eliminations with poor little David Archuleta declared safe and asked to join the group he thought was safe. But first Ryan switched David Cook and Syesha. David Archuleta took a page from past years and sat in the middle of the floor. Even when Ryan tried to coax him left, he wouldn’t budge. Finally, Ryan declared David C., Jason and Carly safe by having them join David A. in the middle of the floor.

That left Brooke, Kristy Lee and Syesha in the bottom three. Syesha was immediately declared safe. After much theatrics, Kristy Lee Cook was eliminated. It’s funny. Out of all the weeks I thought she should and would go— this wasn’t one of them. Perhaps if she pursues a country career, things will work out for her. All the best, Kristy Lee. Hope you get your horse back.

Tonight was Mariah Carey night, which meant I knew it wasn’t going to be a favorite of mine. It’s simply not my favorite kind of music. Mariah did seem very sweet as a mentor, although I really hope that she gave the contestants more helpful information than the “everybody’s great” recaps we saw on t.v.

David Archuleta was the first singer, performing “When You Believe”. It wasn’t my favorite song, but that wasn’t David’s fault. However, I found nothing really interesting about his performance. Yes, he sang well. And…? There is no and. He sang the song well, and that’s about all I can say about it. Randy said it was “the bomb”, and Simon thought the song choice was predictable but that he sang it well.

Next up was Carly Smithson, singing “Without You”. I liked the version of the song she sang and the fact that she didn’t try to imitate Mariah Carey. I was more entertained by this performance than David’s. Randy thought it was good but wants her to trust her lower register more (yeah, that was a bit shaky). Simon had always wanted to hear her sing this song but didn’t think she pulled it off.

Syesha Mercado’s performance of “Vanishing” was another “sang a boring song well” performance for me. It sounded good, and I was bored. I don’t know if that’s Syesha’s fault or the song. Randy said she did a good job “all things considered” (I have no idea what that means). Simon said it was technically very good (in other words, she sang it well, but it had no soul).

Brooke White took on a stripped down version of “Hero”. My only complaint about the song was that it felt a little rushed, a sentiment echoed by Paula. I really like Brooke’s voice, and this performance held my attention and was interesting (which was saying a lot with these performances). I’m not sure, though, that Brooke won’t see the bottom three again this week. Hopefully, she won’t go home. Simon compared this performance to a hamburger without the meat. The substance was missing. I don’t really agree with that, but I can see where he’s coming from. The song didn’t really progress and go anywhere. And,yet, still I found it much more entertaining than anything up to this point in tonight’s show.

I felt very hopeful that Kristy Lee Cook would keep Brooke out of the bottom three until she sang “Forever”. Crud. How did she manage to get better? She performed the song with just enough country without turning it into a Hee Haw-worthy performance. Plus, she actually opened her eyes when she sang and connected with the song, if not the audience. Randy gave this performance an undecipherable review. I guess I’d some it up as good and bad. Simon said she managed okay and that it was a bit whiny. He summarized it as “not great”.

David Cook wins my “deserving of a You Tube post” award of the night. He sang his own version of “Always Be My Baby”. It was really good, not a bit boring, and definitely the performance of the night. Okay, Archuleta fans, be honest— wouldn’t you rather see a David Cook concert? Randy said David is ready to make an album and gave his first standing ovation of the year, as he described the performance as brilliant. Simon said the performance brought him out of karaoke hell into a breath of fresh air (which really cracked me up).

The night finished up with Jason Castro singing “I Don’t Want to Cry”. It was a pretty typical Jason performance— enjoyable but not overwhelming. It kind of had a bit of a Latin vibe, which Randy interpreted as an island theme (I’m not sure why). He was not overwhelmed by this performance. Simon said it was a cool version that matched Jason’s performance style.

So, tonight my ranking of performers will be in order of how much they entertained/didn’t bore me. Then I’ll give you who I think will be in the bottom three (not necessarily the people who bored me the least).

1. David Cook
2. Jason Castro
3. Brooke White
4. Carly Smithson
5. Kristy Lee Cook
6. David Archuleta
7. Syesha Mercado

Bottom three prediction: Syesha, Carly and fighting it out for the third spot Brooke or Kristy. I HOPE that third spot will be filled by Kristy, but I’m not sure how much Brooke appeals to the average Idol viewer, and Kristy is the last country singer left, which I think gives her somewhat of an advantage. Syesha would be my pick to go home tonight, but Carly may be joining Michael Johns.

Tonight had a lot going on— recaps of Idol Gives Back, more stars asking for donations to Idol Gives Back, a plug for one.org, a group medley performance of “Shout to the Lord”, a star medley to “I’m a Believer”, a Ford commercial to “I Just Want to Celebrate”, and a duet between Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown of “No Air”.

But let’s talk about the important piece of information from tonight. Michael Johns was eliminated!! I did NOT see that coming. I don’t know that I saw him winning, but I definitely didn’t think he was a candidate to go home this week. And I thought the reverse fake out of last year, making it sound like “Hey, buddy, maybe we’re not sending you home… Yeah, we’re sending you home” was kind of mean. The only thing that I can think of that may have worked against him was that he did seem to have a hard time picking songs that really set him apart from the crowd. I wish he’d picked a bluesy song for this week. I know he liked the song he sang and its message, but picking a song for American Idol needs to be about more than just liking the song.

So, what was your reaction? Were you as shocked as I was?

Who was your favorite singer tonight?
Michael Johns: 14% (10)
Syesha Mercado: 4% (3)
Jason Castro: 16% (11)
Kristy Lee Cook: 10% (7)
David Cook: 3% (2)
Carly Smithson: 4% (3)
David Archuleta: 46% (32)
Brooke White: 3% (2)
Total Votes : 70

Jeanne was kind enough to let me know the band is “Our Lady Peace”. The video of the song is available on YouTube, but unfortunately can’t be embedded. So, if you’re interested in seeing or hearing the original version of the song, head on over to YouTube.

Well, it’s Idol Gives Back week. I like the way they’re doing Idol Gives Back this year in relation to the competition. Idol Gives Back will be a separate show. It sounds like the contestants won’t even be singing. Instead, they sang inspirational songs tonight as a nod to the theme, and there will be an elimination night on Thursday. So, tomorrow can be about raising money for a worthy cause without worrying how your favorite will be faring with the singing.

Maybe it’s just being tired and extremely pregnant but, once again, I found inspirational song week less than inspiring. I didn’t really hate any of the performances, but I didn’t love most of them either.

Michael Johns kicked off the night with “Dream On”. This turned out to be one of the better peformances of the night, I thought. However, since the judges usually pan Michael when he sings rock music, I thougt they might not like this performance (I do agree it’s better when he sings music with more of a blues feel). Randy thought it was pretty good but heard some pitch problems. Simon said it was a good performance but didn’t care for the rock performance persona.

I wish I could say exactly what bothers my about Syesha Mercado. Since she sang a song that I can still hear Fantasia singing in my head if I think about it, I have a better idea what the issue is. She reminds me somewhat of Latoya London. Latoya was a better singer than Fantasia, but she was a “performer”. Very seldom did you feel anything when she sang. Fantasia, on the other hand, was not necessarily the most polished singer or performer, but she could make me cry when she sang. You could feel what she felt. Because Syesha is also an actress, I think she’s acting more than feeling. And I think that comes across. She sounded good tonight singing “I Believe”, but I didn’t feel anything. Randy also couldn’t help comparing her to Fantasia. Simon said she sang it well but there was no big wave of emotion.

Jason Castro was one of my favorite singers tonight. He sang a different version of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” while playing the ukulele. This was a great song for him. It suited his voice and his personality. Even though he’s not as polished a singer as Syesha, he always comes across as so much more authentic. Randy said it was the hottest tonight, and Simon said it was fantastic.

Somehow Kristy Lee Cook has managed to sing a country music pretty much every single week. Tonight was no different as she sang Martina McBride’s “Anyway”. I remember Martina singing this on American Idol. Obviously, that was a better version. But Kristy Lee did okay. I wish she would OPEN HER EYES when she sings, though. It’s a very annoying performance habit and makes it hard to connect with her. The judges thought this was one of her better performance. Apparently, Simon will now be offering fashion advice each week, as he even offered Kristy Lee a kind word about her look, saying she looked like a star.

Okay, you all know I love David Cook, but tonight’s performance was, um, definitely not his best. He sang “Innocent” by one of his favorite bands (I couldn’t really hear the name, but I’ll get it for you when I figure it out). This was a bad song choice. He may love the song, but it did nothing for his voice, it was hard to understand him and, even though he sang it well, I’m not sure it will appeal to the voting public. Randy and Simon both agreed that this was not his best performance, to date.

Carly Smithson sang “Show Must Go On”. She did look better this week, and she sounded good for the most part, but the high notes were a bit off. Randy confirmed that there were pitch problems. Simon did say she looked better this week, but he thought she oversang the song and came across as angry.

David Archuleta was up next, singing “Angels” and playing the piano. This was a good performance for him this week (I can even forgive the preachy tone, since it was inspiring songs week). I didn’t think the verse sounded nearly as good as the chorus, but overall it sounded good, and the piano was nice. Randy thought it was the hottest moment of the season (I think that’s an exaggeration). Simon said it was the best song choice of the night but not David’s best vocal.

Brooke White closed out the night with “You’ve Got a Friend”. I love Brooke, and I thought this sounded nice, although it wasn’t outstanding. But I don’t like when she stands at the mic and sings. She always looks a bit awkward. Randy said this wasn’t her best performance, but Simon said it was like a pleasant walk in the park.

So, here’s my order for the week.

1. Jason Castro
2. Michael Johns
3. David Archuleta
4. Brooke White
5. David Cook
6. Kristy Lee Cook
7. Carly Smithson
8. Syesha Mercado

Are you looking forward to Idol Gives Back next week?
Yes: 55% (17)
No: 45% (14)
Total Votes : 31

The group performance tonight was not as bad as usual. Interestingly enough, I thought the group had more fun singing Dolly Parton’s 9-5 than anything else this season.

Ryan called out the first three individually: Michael Johns— safe; David Archuleta— safe; Carly Smithson— safe.

Then we had questions from callers, none of which were all that interesting. It was kind of funny to hear Michael Johns and David Cook facetiously talking about singing a duet of “Islands in the Stream”. Hey, if they can dance a “mango” on “Dancing With The Stars”, I suppose anything is possible.

Then they had The Clark Brothers on. I LOVE The Clark Brothers!! I used to rave about Ashley (the lead singer) when he was Carrie Underwood’s fiddler. And Austin, the brother who plays the weird looking guitar (called a dobro), was on with Kellie Pickler a couple of weeks ago. I just adore them and can’t wait for an album.

Next up was the Ford commercial, featuring “It’s Tricky”, which for some reason I found to be really funny.

Then it was back to the main event. David Cook was out. Ryan talked to him about his visit to the hospital, which turned out to be for high blood pressure. Thank goodness it was nothing more serious. Anyway, David was safe. Ramiele Malubay and Kristy Lee Cook came out (individually) and were both sent to the bottom three. Ramiele looked like a kicked puppy, and Kristy Lee could not have been less surprised.

There was a brief segment catching up with Idol contestants that have moved to Nashville: Bucky Covington, Phil Stacey, and Bo Bice.

Syesha came out next and was safe (which was surprising to me), leaving Brooke White and Jason Castro to fight it out for the final position in the bottom three. I assumed it would be Jason since he was in the bottom three last week, but NO— it was sweet, angelic Brooke. Shame on you America!

They left the three girls waiting FOREVER while they did an Idol Gives Back promo (coming up next week, you know) and Dolly Parton sang “Jesus and Gravity”. Finally, Brooke was declared safe, before Ramiele was sent home. I think that was the right decision, although there are several others I could have gone for just as easily.

What do you think? Justice served? Or is it a total travesty?