American Idol: Why can i never get 4 out of 4????!

Ugh! I was sooooooooo close! I mean, my 4 out of 4 was staring me right in the face! But nooooo Kady Malloy lives to see another day! And we get a bit of a shocking elimination (at least to me!) Here's who got the exit music tonight.



Eliminated: Jason Yeager, Alexandrea Lushington, Alaina Whitaker, Robbie Carrico

Goodbye Yeagermeister! Don't blame the judges for you getting eliminated, you did it all by yourself! Alexandrea, I saw that coming a mile away. Robbie - gotta give me props on that risky guess! But man...I never thought to pick Alaina. She wasn't even on my "BAD" performances list. I really thought she was an up and comer. I guess people are finally tired of Olivia Newton John??? I dunno. Oh well...I'm pretty impressed with my 3 out of 4 picks. I will keep dreaming that one day I will get the impossible 4 of 4! For now, I can brag that last week I got the girls pegged right. This week, I got the guys right!

Other High/Lowlights of the recap show:

• Amanda's hair still looked ridiculous
• Top 20 performance may have eclipsed the Top 24 performance as the worst thing ever to be witnessed by my eyes and ears.
• Idol Gives Back is coming back this year in a big way. Brad Pitt will be there! I know I'm excited!!! I guess he'll bring his adopted African Family on stage with him?
• Ruben wrote the new Exit Song! Is it called "Sorry 2008: The Reprise?" I thought his career was over??? What's going on?
• New Opening Graphics for the top 12. Are you thrilled?
• And well the lennon/mccartney songbook is available for Idol to use now! The irony of this? "Something" was written by George Harrison and performed by Taylor Hicks....which kinda started this whole "We need a Beatles Night" craze that has struck Idol for the past few years. That song will not be available to be used! Just weird isn't it? But Obviously, Lennon/McCartney were the major brains of the Beatles. There's a lot of good stuff to use!
• Paula: I have no words to describe her inability to produce real words!

That's it kids...Join me next week as we try one last time this year to get 4 for 4! Then we go to our next impossible task: Guessing the bottom 3 AND the eliminated contestant correctly! See you next week as we eventually reveal our Top 12!

American Idol: Top 10 Girls Perform

I think the one thing that everyone will be asking after tonight's episode is.....WHAT WAS AMANDA OVERMEYER THINKING WITH THAT HAIR????? It looked like she ate a skunk and got struck by lightning! And to think that was only the beginning of her problems! Well, I think we're beginning to see a trend with these girls. They're not quite matching up to their male counterparts. They all have lots and lots and lots of potential, but are just failing in the Song Choice category, (with few exceptions of course). I'm at a loss after tonight at who will be going home and who our eventual Top 6 Females will be....but in the end...I think we have to look at the popularity of each contestant and who could afford one slight misstep. And with that little preface, we can begin our dissection!

1. Carly Smithson - "I have tattoos and work in a bar" -Really Carly, I don't think that is very surprising at all! Anyway, after Carly performed, I thought we were going to be in for a stellar night. She came out and belted Heart's "Crazy on You." And anyone who has any experience on Guitar Hero II could see those guitar licks that they were zooming in on coming from miles away! I was even thinking in my head (orange, Green, yellow, blue, red!!! and keep strumming!!!) Anyway, apparently this is Carly's favorite song ever and she wouldn't forgive herself if she didn't perform it. And well, as horrific as it is to see that disease on her right arm (yes...the "ART"), she really can sing. I mean...REALLY can sing! And you kick off a show with her following a night of some great Guy performances and you start thinking "Woaaa....maybe this IS going to be an awesome season!" Yeah...then the rest of the show happened. Anyway, The judges had some constructive feedback. Simon is predicting that Carly will eventually connect with a song and blow the contest wide open. (TAKE THAT DAVID ARTICHOKE! - Thanks Shanna for the nickname!) I could see it happening.
2. Syesha Mercado - "I've done lame local commercials and can make Baby sounds!" - I almost made baby sounds after listening to that snoozefest! I mean really...."Me and MISTER Jones"????? Give me a break! Some songs are just meant to be sung about a woman...and that is one of them! Syesha is one of those gals that seems to be Top 12 material though. So, if anyone is going to get a sympathy vote, it just might be her. But we'll have to wait for our analysis at the end.
3. Brooke White - "I'm a Beauty School dropout" - And so here we are at my favorite performance of the night. She really did pick the perfect song. Carly Simon's "You're So Vain" And yeah...it did seem like it was pointed towards Simon. But just the way she used the guitar, brought the band in, then stopped playing the guitar but kept her vocals constant throughout. It was a pretty cool thing to watch. And with that performance, she has made me a fan. Yeah, I liked her playing the keyboard in the Hollywood round, but I also remember not liking her during the auditions. This girl just seems like a MUSICIAN. And well, I can't help but like true artists! Add in the Top 5 Guys from last night with Carly and Brooke...and you have 7 solid contestants in the top 12. That's pretty darn good! Now let's weed through the rest.
4. Ramiele Mulaby Lullaby -"I do hula dances!" - I just don't know why I don't like this girl. I'm told by the judges she is the 3rd best vocalist of the group. Well, why am I not sold? It could be due to a performance like the one she did tonight. She performed Thelma Houston's "Don't Leave Me this Way" and it was just okay for me. (and apparently the judges had the same reaction) Their reasoning is because the song has just been played out too much. My favorite part of her whole performance was saying she sang it because she didn't wanted to be branded LULLABY instead of Mulaby by singing more ballads. Doesn't she know by merely suggesting it just fuels the fire? Case in Point - see her name in this blog for the week!
5. Kristy Lee Cook - "I'm a Tom Boy and I wish I was a Man!" - Maybe Kristy and Danny Noriega were destined to switch bodies??? I dunno. Anyway she performed "Baby You're No Good" It's amazing how much one can change their mind from the audition rounds. I'm not really a fan of Kristy's anymore. Sure, she sang much better this week than last week and she's probably safe and a shoo-in for the top 12 (although maybe one of those early elimination candidates from the top 12). But what is up with her hoppity dance thing she has going on when she sings? I just don't get it! I agree with Simon...we all thought Kristy was going to be this year's Country Girl. Well, where is the country music??? Apparently, we'll get some next week. Watch the theme be MOTOWN or something next week!
6. Amanda Overmeyer - "I like to read biographies about Rock stars and this gives me my education in life!" - Another Guitar Hero classic "Carry On My Wayward Son" but Amanda just was not up to the challenge. She took the criticism that she was TOO MUCH JANIS and well she tried to do something else and it just didn't work. I think there might be a threat of her leaving tomorrow night. But, I agree with Paula. She is needed in this competition. She is different! Keep her in there and see what she can do. Just never do THAT again! And please please please....never do that to your hair again either!
7. Alaina Whitaker - "I hate when my food touches each other....especially Green Bean Juice!" - Well, I would say cue the snores for a rendition of "Hopelessly Devoted to You" but she wasn't TOO bad tonight. I think she garnered herself a decent following after being the surprise performer last week. I didn't understand Simon saying that her grandmother prepared her for the audition especially with the blue dress. Then he went back to his trademark "PAGEANTY" comments. Yeah, it wasn't the greatest performance. But she should have a chance to rebound next week.
8. Alexandrea Lushington - "I sang for the Atlanta Fire Dept. and at Ground Zero" - Well, I guess that's a touching back story. But will it be enough to save Alexandrea after this week's dull rendition of Chicago's "Baby Please Don't Go?" I'm not so sure. I mean....it was really really really bad! And it's not like she didn't hit every note. I think she did. But it was so dreadfully boring! Simon mentioned that this particular song is stuck in the time period it was originally written/performed in. And, he's probably right. My mind drifted during the performance. I can't imagine many people will rush to the phones to save her. But who knows? There are a lot of vulnerable people tonight!
9. Kady Malloy - "I impress people with my pre-performance films, but can't sing on a live stage! oh yeah and I sing opera in addition to impersonations!" - Yep, I'm with Simon. How can she be so down to earth and impressive in her film clips but then come out and just be AWFUL? She did the 2nd Heart song of the night with "Magic Man" but there was no magic to be seen. The low notes were invisible, and the high notes were kind of painful. Yet her Opera voice sounds flawless, and her impersonations of Britney Spears are perfect. I don't know how many chances you can give Kady to find her voice on stage. I fear this might be the end of the road for her.
10. Asia'H Epperson -"I love Cheerleading! Goooooooooooo ME!" - So, probably the worst performance of the night right? So, does she get credit for attempting the most difficult song of the night? Like Simon said, she exposed her limitations by trying the song. The high notes weren't there. Even though Paula said "TADAAAAAA!!!!!!" They still were not quite there! And even if Toolman Yeagermeister stood up shaking his head like a proud parent and slow clapping trying to get everyone to join him.....they still were not quite there! We still got the judges and Ryan casually and "subtley" advising America that Asia'H was really really sick and that's why she didn't sound good. I think if anyone else will get the sympathy vote tonight...it might be Miss Epperson. They told her it was the most difficult song and "we know you're sick" Yikes...America, I hope you guys dialed to save her! Don't make Paula cry!

We have one difficult task ahead of us kids! Here's how I see things going down:

Definitely Safe and in the top 12: Brooke White, Carly Smithson

Rebounded from Last week, top 12 status still up in air: Kristy Lee Cook

Hanging in there: Alaina Whitaker

Off-week but safe based on perception: Ramiele Lullaby

Bad Performances:

• Amanda Overmeyer -Popular and probably safe
• Syesha Mercado - Popular and probably safe
• Alexandrea Lushington - I don't really like her and don't understand why Paula thinks she is necessary
• Kady Malloy - I want to like her, but I think her chances may have run out
• Asia'H Epperson -Sympathy coming her way

Elimination Picks: Alexandrea Lushington, Kady Malloy

Wildcard Pick: All other bad performances

Yeah, I know...easy way out there. But this can really go any way! But, if I don't get the elimination picks correct, I understand I deserve no credit! So that's it, yet again the girls for the most part underwhelm. I'm looking forward to getting back to 2 nights a week Idol. Soon enough! Due to the LOST/IDOL joint night tomorrow...you can expect an abbreviated Idol Results show blog. But there's not really much to analyze at this point so I think we'll be okay. Hope you enjoyed my ramblings as always and see you tomorrow night after the results!

American Idol: Top 10 Guys Perform

Welcome back! We're still trucking through these semi-finals but at least the performances are improving a bit this week! The guys came back with a vengeance and picked out some tunes from the 70's which we got to enjoy on various levels depending on the contestant. Some were great, some were okay...some were just very unintentionally hysterical! Or you know...you could be Yeagermeister and just self-proclaim that "We're ALL killer singers this year" Don't be modest there Jason...please...don't hold back! I mean has anyone ever dissed 6 previous seasons worth of contestants while being so obnoxious about one's self in a sentence like Mr. Yeager did tonight? How AWESOMELY fantastic is that? Anyway, we're getting ahead of ourselves as always. We have to figure out 2 contestants that are going home! Before we do that, I did promise that I'd lightly touch on last week's elimination show. Here's the brief summary!

• 2 out of 4 picks Right! I pegged the girls dead-on. And I spent the least time on that blog. Hmmmm...maybe I tend to over think things sometimes? The guys, both of my wildcard picks got booted. No sense wasting time on who got kicked off..they're gone! We still have to deal with Yeager and Menard this week one more time!
• Paula's new music Video? WOW...talk about unintentional comedy being off the charts! Of course, my favorite part was Randy jamming on the bass.
• The Top 24 Performance - May have been the most painful experience I ever put my ears and eyes through at the same time!

And that's it. Moving on to our top 10 guys. Who is going home? Who may win the whole thing? Yours truly may have found himself changing his mind a bit this week. Let's chat:

1. Michael Johns - "I love Tennis" - I think the judges were a bit harsh on the seasoned "pro." My problem with Michael is...he just seems a bit TOO professional for his own good. Does that make sense? I mean, I've complained in year's past of people being too amateur and having problems staying in tune and just sounding plain awful. But Michael? He just seems like he's been doing this forever. And sometimes I feel that this is a bit unfair I guess. Like...he had a deal, he had his chance. But here he is again getting 30 million people a week seeing him perform so he gets a 2nd chance to break through. I'm rambling. But as for performance, I liked his Fleetwood Mac song choice. He channeled his inner Lindsey Buckingham and gave a solid performance. I guess I can see where Randy and Simon were coming from with there being "No Moment" in the performance where he took control and really sold it. But whatever, if I was Michael Johns and knew I had a 90% chance of making the top 12...I'd play it safe too! Save the good stuff for the top 12 performances. This was good enough.
2. Jason Castro - "I hate interviews" - While the guitar was his asset last week, it became his enemy tonight. To me it felt like more of the same and got a little boring. Talk about One-Trick ponies, last week was the first time we saw Jason, and he brought us more of the same this week. Randy and Simon united once again on Jason saying that it wasn't really that good. Paula tried to be constructive but ended up calling him cute. She did make a comment for him to lose the guitar. And well...that would probably be a good move. But how will he be WITHOUT the guitar? Will we even find out? Tough call with a couple other kids tonight.
3. Luke Menard - "I am Mr. Acapella and I like singing Falsetto for a whole song!" - Well I couldn't have said it any better than Simon. While he was performing Queen's "Killer Queen" tonight, I was thinking to myself...of all Queen songs, that is one that only Freddie Mercury himself could pull off. Sure, Luke did his best to hit every single high pitch note, but it lacked Freddie's stage theatrics. That song will always be compared to its original singer. And I couldn't help laughing at him when he tried to do some of the more talkative parts of the song. I could've sworn I heard him say "Prestigious and Precise" at one point. And of course, I happened to do a search on it to see if that was the actual Queen lyrics. Guess what? There's a website for Misheard lyrics...and "Prestigious and Precise" is on there. It's actually "Fastidious and Precise!" Go figure! Anyway..my point was...when he said that I lost it! Between this week and last week, I don't think he's garnered too many fans. We'll see!
4. Robbie Carrico - "No Really, I am a rocker. Come on? Didn't you know I Drag Race too? How cool am I now???" Well, he was better than last week wasn't he? He is a good singer. No one is doubting that. It's really just his image. And he didn't help his Steve the Pirate image that I created for him by his pre-performance slip-up "I Be ME....ARRRRRR" Okay, so I added the "arrrrrr" but whatever! When I saw him perform, I thought he was pretty decent. The judges were so so with him (Maybe Simon was more positive than the others who seemed to be prematurely trying to predict how Simon was going to respond to Robbie). Problem is...after everyone else performed, he kinda got lost in the mix. But I still think there are people worse than him that need to go. So he may be on the edge next week.
5. Danny Noriega - "No Really, I WAS a girl when I was younger. Look at my pictures!" - Here's my take on Danny. She...sorry.....He has a very good voice. But he needs to gain 50 lbs, get a masculine hairdo and stop snapping his fingers and moving his neck when he talks and sings. Sure, say I'm taking shots or whatever you will. I can't take this kid seriously! And yeah, Simon says he's unique but telling him that he looks terrific on camera????? Come ONNNN Simon! Anyway, I wanted to say that maybe he'd go home this week. But it's not looking too good. But all 3 of the judges stated how he tried TOO hard with his performance. Maybe that will come back to haunt him. Who knows. For now, he's my least favorite top 12'er because I just don't see how we're going to get rid of Sanjaya's Sister.
6. David Hernandez - speaking of manly "I like gymnastics and cartwheels! Now give me my MAN BADGE!" - Hey, I like this kid. I wasn't sure what the judges didn't like about him last week. I had him as a definite top 12'er when I made my picks and this week seemed to solidify that with his rendition of "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" Great Voice, Great performance. Not much else to say about it. He's sticking around for next week.
7. Jason Yeager - "Look at all these instruments I'll never get to play on the show because I'm an idiot!" - Yep, he plays piano, guitar and drums. Whoopity Doo Yeagermeister! He is so obnoxious that he is looking forward to playing them when he finds the right song. I guess because he's a "killer singer" he thinks he's going to be around for awhile? I mean, yeah there's some good talent this year. But I don't think they were EVER referring to this guy! I think he just needs to worry about making ALL of his hairs one color! I mean DUDE...seriously! Lose the 3 blonde hairs! Anyway....he took criticism last week for being boring...so I guess he thought if he just danced across the stage in some kind of jig-like fashion and smiled like the doofus he is...that this would be good enough to win over the millions? No no no no yeagerman. I'm with Simon...cue the OSCAR Music and ship this guy off stage!
8. Chickezie - "My name is Nigerian and I am well crafted by God! And I'm still the love child of Forrest Whitaker and Gary Coleman!" - Hey, I like Chickezie! He really brought some soul into the house tonight with Donny Hathaway's "I Believe." Got in some James Brown-like screams and really brought the house down. Keep this guy on the show, he's entertaining and he can saaaaang!
9. David Cook - "I like words" - Fascinating backstory! At least he's entertaining on stage. David brought out the guitar tonight and rocked to a little "All Right Now" I was a little concerned when he skipped singing a majority of the chorus to play his guitar in front of the crowd. But he more than made up for it when he sang. He threw some picks out intot he audience. It was a good time. I liked him ever since his audition and still do. But he DID get a little obnoxious with Simon about "I only need to impress the fans." It was a bit much. But I'm sure it won't hurt him. It was just his lack of personality when not performing that made him look to give Simon the cold shoulder afterwards. He'll be fine!
10. David Archuletta - "I Sang for Kelly Clarkson....So Mike, please stop hating me!" - Well, that's a step in the right direction! Afterall, if the original Idol is impressed by the kid, maybe I should be too? For some reason, I feel like I've seen that clip of him singing to Kelly before this season of Idol ever aired. But maybe that's all in my head. Whatever the case, I cannot argue that David is a fantastic singer. And I can't lie that his performance of "Imagine" didn't move me. It did. It was AWESOME. And, based on it, I can't even disagree with Simon that he is the one to beat. And what really drives me crazy is how genuinely nice and gracious of a person he seems to come off as. But, it goes against every bone in my body to go ahead and predict a 17 year old "BOY" as the favorite to win American Idol this year. Sure, Jordin won last year, but she seemed older for her age. Then again, David's vocal skills are similar in that respect. Like Michael Johns, he seems to be a seasoned pro when he sings, but doesn't come off like one when he doesn't sing. I can't explain it! He's just got that likability factor. The big question is (and I questioned it with Jordin too) is song selection. Will a 17 year old be able to choose the right songs in each theme week to stay competitive? David is going to be around for awhile. The question now is just...can he maintain his edge for the whole show? I'm gonna take it easy on him for now. As long as he stays away from John Mayer and they don't focus on his paralyzed vocal chord storyline!

Alrighty...so it's time to cast our votes for who is going home! Here's how I see it.

SUPER SAFE (and hopefully 5 of our top 6 guys): David Archuletta, David Cook, David Hernandez, Michael Johns, Chickezie

Vying for Spot 6: Danny Noriega, Jason Castro, Robbie Carrico

Trying to be eliminated next week instead of this week: Jason Yeager, Luke Menard

Elimination Picks: Jason Yeager, Robbie Carrico Wildcard: Luke Menard

Tried to be bold this week with the Robbie pick. It just seems too easy to pick the worst 2 performances. Jason Castro had an off week and he might not make it to the top 12, but his week 1 performance should be plenty to get him through this week. Danny is unfortunately too unique to say goodbye to just yet. Luke? Maybe Ryan referring to him as Dawson's Creek will remind the world how much they miss James VanderBeek in their lives. But for now, we shall be prepared to say farewell to Steve the Pirate!

That's it for tonight kids. See you tomorrow night after the Top 10 Girls perform!

American Idol: Top 12 Girls Perform

Hello Idol fanatics. You guys are going to have to bear with me this week as I am not able to give the blog my full attention. I have some personal matters to attend to. I did get a chance to watch the show last night, but it was late and I couldn’t give it the “Mike” treatment it usually gets. Here’s a brief summary of my thoughts of the 12 Girls vying for the 6 spots.

Safe Based on Last Night:

• Carly Smithson – Like her or not, she’s a top 12er no matter what. And Idol addressed her previous record deal. (always a plus for LIVE TV shows to address controversy)
• Asia’H Epperson – American loves her story ands he sang pretty well last night. She’s probably a top 12er
• Ramiele Maluby – Judges loved her and she sang well. I’m still waiting to be blown away and haven’t been yet.
• Syesha Mercado – Sounds like she’s a shoe-in as well.
• Amanda Overmeyer – I want to like her. I really do and she has the performance skills. But her singing style is kinda wearing on me. But due to her uniqueness, a top 12 without her wouldn’t seem right.
• Alaina Whitaker – I’d say she was the surprise of the night. Some are dubbing are Carrie 2.0. I’m getting concerned with all of the young talent this season. It could turn into a very bizarre top 12.
• Brooke White – The whole trying to make her “not nice” storyline is getting a bit old. But she is ultra happy when she sings. It’s unique and good for now. We’ll see if she can show some more in the weeks to come.

Unsure Status

• Alexandrea Lushington – Randy and Paula loved her. I was with Simon. It was just weird. Not sure what America will think.
• Kady Malloy – It was a bit of a boring performance, but she sang it really well.

On the Cusp:

• Kristy Lee Cook – Yep, I’m going to have to take away the “favorite” status from her. Weird song choice, uninspired performance. But Paula defended her for being sick. Other Idol winners have performed when sick and you could still tell they were legitimate contenders. Kristy? Not so much.
• Joanne Borgella – Again, boring and uninspired.

Definitely gone:

• Amy Davis – I can’t even think of anything positive to say about the performance.

Elimination Picks: Amy Davis, Joanne Borgella Wildcard: Kristy Lee Cook

So that’s it in a nutshell. Pretty unimpressive night for the girls. But I was kinda tired when watching it. Anyway, I probably am going to skip the results show blog this week, but I’ll try to sum everything up next week when we return to our regularly scheduled blogging. Thanks for your understanding and I’ll see you guys next week!

American Idol: Top 12 Guys Perform

Welcome to the Season 7 Top 24 Semi-Finals America! We visited with the top 12 guys Tuesday night to get to know them a little better. I got a late start watching this one, so I'll be brief. Overall, no one really blew me away just yet. There were a few solid performances and a few shoe-ins to get the boot Thursday night, depending on sympathy votes. So with us getting to know our 12 guys, I thought I'd give a little slogan to sum up my 1st impressions on each of them and then of course...after the analysis...I'll make my picks for who is going home! Let's dive in.

1. David Hernandez - "Latin America meets Motown" - Well, okay he's from Missouri, but come on! He's a Hernandez! This isn't he best we've seen of David, but far from the worst of the night. While his rendition of "In the Midnight Hour" got a little full of cheese in the middle, perhaps his unique slow opening of the tune will be what the voters will remember. It's always tough to go first, and fortunately for him, he was not the worst!


2. Chickezie - "Forrest Whitaker meets Gary Coleman" - Come on, you know you see it! Anyway, it's hard not to like ol' Chickezie, even if he has shortened his name for the Semi-Finals. That crazy brown/orange suit though...woa! I'm with Simon...that was kinda hideous. I forget the song he sang...but I wrote down in my notes that he was a bit BLAND with his performance. The judges commented on his old fashioned style....and while Simon can argue till he's blue in the face that the contestants need to be able to modernize 60's songs...I can agree with Chickezie to an extent too for defending his stance. I'm still confused why we had a THEME NIGHT for the Semi-Finals....last season they were able to pick whatever they wanted to sing. At least that's what I thought. Maybe it just seemed that way based on whatever the theme was. I just thought we had to give these kids a chance to sing the songs they're comfortable with before they have to branch out into themes. Anyway...all of this being said...Chickezie should be safe on Thursday.


3. David Cook - "Goo Goo Dolls meets Fall Out Boy" - Well, while he may not be the favorite after tonight and the Hollywood rounds, I still like this guy. He took The Turtles almight mega cheese hit "Happy Together" and kinda rocked it. Like Randy said, if he could make that song resemble ANYTHING of a potential modern song...he might have a few surprises coming our way. I wouldn't count this guy out as a favorite just yet. Give him a chance or 2 more! I still say he's a definite top 12'er.


4. Jason Yeager - "Black hair meets 2 Blond Hairs" - Seriously? just pick one hair color and stick with it. This guy's hair was the least of his problems though. His crooning performance of "Moon River" was sleep inducing. He was the first of 3 contestants who didn't get much prior airtime and underwhelmed the audience and the viewing masses. I would say Jason is in deep trouble on Thursday. I really didn't think he had many likeable qualities either in the personality department. Even though they sure tried with traipising his little boy in front of the cameras. That might be his only saving grace. Because making fun of the Girls dancing (Ramiele specifically) at the end of the broadcast is probably not going to get him many votes! (That's right Yeagermeister! We saw it!)


5. Robbie Carrico - "Rocker Outfit meets Pop Singer" - Okay, so maybe 5 years ago it would've been okay to bring up that you were the opening act for Britney Spears. In today's environment? Not a PLUS for Robbie in my book! Add on top of that that not only was he a former BOY bander, but that it was a BOY/GIRL Band, ouch...this just isn't all helping. I really just don't see the appeal of this guy. He seems like one giant poser. You know who he reminds me of? Steve the Pirate from Dodgeball. The guy just thought he was a pirate but he really wasn't! Well, this guy is a Pop Singer dressed up for halloween in Rock Star clothes. I couldn't have agreed with Simon more that Robbie's version of "ONE" while technically in tune and good...just wasn't convincing as a ROCKER'S performance. But in any case, Steve the Pirate will most likely move on to see another day due to his otherwise decent performance.



6. David Archuletta - "Star Search meets Mickey Mouse Club!" - I received an anonymous tip that we need to fit David for his mouse ears as soon as possible! This guy is 17 going on 14 and everyone is still eating it up. The judges included. And I'm not going to argue that the kid doesn't have talent. He totally does. I mean just look at his "undiscovered talent" resume. He has previously been a winner of Star Search! Well there you go! Why not audition for Idol after a lackluster season and have the producers "be flexible" on the eligibility rules!? Throw in some crazy story of a paralyized vocal chord so that people don't question the Star Search victory, have him sing John Mayer's positive political song a couple times, have the judges throw endless compliments your way so that you can see a genuinely nice kid just smile and take it all in.....and yep...you got yourselves a feel good story that will last us through much of the top 12! But I still gotta say, this kid, as "WHEN YOU'VE GOT IT, YOU'VE GOT IT and YOU HAVE GOT IT" as he is....he will not GET IT (The American Idol Crown). And if he does get it? I'll happily stop blogging after this season!


7. Danny Noriega - "Jessica Alba meets Flaming Elvis" - Everyone knows how I'm a big fan of Danny's Flamboyance. Throw in a little "Jailhouse Rock" to the mix and you have chaos on your hands. While I can't stand the kid, I know we're kinda stuck with him for now so I'm making my peace with it. He'll get what's coming to him eventually. And with that, I thought Simon's critique on him was quite harsh. And initially, it's just going to drive more votes his way. But will people tire of his "ACT" eventually? I urge you all to chime in with your thoughts. It tired on me 30 seconds before the first time I saw him on camera!


8. Luke Menard - "Who cares?" - Really, his performance was that dreary. The only thing memorable about his screentime was that in his pre-performance clip he made a bold statement about his goal being to not only be a top 24'er but to WIN American Idol. THEN he sang a song that I couldn't even begin to tell you what it was. This is contestant #2 that bored us to tears with little air-time to justify it. Of the 3, I'd say Luke is definitely gone on Thursday.


9. Colton Berry - "Ellen Degeneres meets Big Broadway Nerd!" - He'll always be known as the guy that got in over the other more appealing nerd, Kyle. While neither of them should be winning anything lately, at least Kyle would've been more entertaining. This guy actually WELCOMES the comparisons to Ellen from the left, right and center. Yikes. His take on "Suspicious Minds" was decent but very broadway'ish as he claimed himself to be very versed in. The smiling was a bit out of control too. I think he'll be safe this week. But you never know, people may forget about him too.


10. Garrett Haley - "Leif Garrett meets a Teenage Bee Gee" - Contestant #3 with previously little air-time. He sang a dreadful rendition of "Breaking Up is Hard to Do." I thought the only thing that would save him is the fact that the tweener girls will just love him and might try to give him another chance. What's with all of these 17 year old kids in the top 24? This is all Jodin Sparks's fault for not being awful!


11. Jason Castro - "Bob Marley's hair meets a Female" - The surprise performance of the night. I knew we could expect some decent things from DREADS! While he did have a bit of a feminine side to him, he was able to butch it up by being the only contestant brave enough to sport a guitar on stage with him. He sang a mostly acoustic and solo version of "What a Day for a Daydream" This kid knew he hadn't sunk into the collective American Idol viewer-base in previous weeks and found a way to stand out from the pack. I knew I put him in orange status last week for a reason! Looks like he may be able to sneak into the top 12 and that would be fine with me!


12. Michael Johns - "Jim Morrison meets Michael Hutchence" - As much as I tried to fight it, Michael Johns is turning out to be the real deal. And yeah, a lot of it had to do with me thinking he was talking in a goofy voice...and now just realizing that he's Australian! Of course, the Idol producing team went out of their way to convince us that the Aussie should be allowed to compete because he's been living in America his entire adult life (10 years). They did NOT mention how the 29 year old ALSO had a former record contract. (See comments about American Idol needing a hit season in my David Archulleta section and in tomorrow's Carly Smithson section). Anyway, he hit The Doors' "Light My Fire" out of the park. It suited him very well. And pretty much any song he performs seems to suit him well. Can't argue with the judges. The guy seems like a natural. If this is how he gets his big break...so be it!

I know I didn't really get into the whole judges and Ryan bantering that occurred throughout the episode. But obviously, I was a big fan of Paula calling out Colors and Simon being utterly confused and Ryan trying to tie everything together and make sense out of it. Anyway, we have some work to do now. Let's do some math as we always like to do!

Best performances of the night and not in danger: Michael Johns, Dreads, David Cook

Many people will also put him in the "best performance" category: David Archulleta

Better than Average: David Hernandez, Robbie Carrico, Chickezie

Flamboyant and uncategoriziable: Danny Noriega

Average: Colton Berry

Awful: Luke Menard, Garrett Haley, Jason Yeager

I'm going to try and pretend that when I realized I only had 11 names up there, that David Cook was NOT the name I was forgetting! It's not a sign that America will forget about him too! I've usually gone pretty bold with some guesses in this 1st Semi-Final round...but I'm going to stay safe this week. This seems pretty straight-forward to me:

Elimination Picks: Luke Menard, Jason Yeager
Wildcard: Garrett Haley Bonus Wildcard: Colton Berry

American Idol 2008 Top 24

Well, we're finally here folks! The ol' Top 24. I was just reviewing the 2007 Top 24 blog and man did I pick some stinkers! I did pretty well in 2006 though. Always tough when we aim for perfection here at the American Idol Addicts blog! So will 2008 be the year I get it right? Well, probably not! But we're gonna see how it goes!

I already gotta hand it to the Idol producing team for NOT allowing Josiah and Kyle go onto the next round. I thought for sure they were going to keep them in there and let the votefortheworst.com'ers do their thing! (wow...remember that site? It's all going to start next week! Don't forget dialidol.com too which lost some of its usefulness last season). Anyway no sense in delaying. Here are the top 24 contestants. My top 12 (6 Guys, 6 Girls) picks are marked in blue! I threw in a couple orange picks for wildcards with explanations next to them!

Girls

1. Carly Smithson - She's awesome. She would've been a top 12'er in the other season she auditioned. The new tattoos she's sporting are not flattering. But the voice more than makes up for it. She's got top 12 written all over her.
2. Amanda Overmeyer - Yeah, she has to prove she can mix things up. But I think America digs her. She's different that the norm, and I think Season 7 needs her in the top 12. She's in!
3. Kristy Lee Cook - Can she sing just one song? What on earth did she sing on Hollywood Day 1? We may never know. But something tells me if she returns to her country roots for the next 3 weeks she'll be right at home. There's a lot of stiff competition among the girls though. And if she doesn't impress, she could be shown the door! Should be interesting!
4. Brooke White - This is a tough one. I didn't like Brooke when she auditioned. And then she grew on me. But there's a lot of good talent here. I'd say she and Kristy Lee Cook might be fighting for the same spot.
5. Alexandrea Lushington - Don't remember her. Didn't see much of her in Hollywood. She'll really have to impress.
6. Ramiele Maluby - Paula impressed by BIG VOICE, TEENY BODY. I'm indifferent! Will need to see her sing a bit more before putting her in the almighty top 12!
7. Syesha Mercado - The whole singing with no voice thing is probably going to help her win some people over. Because if she WAS hoarse that day, she sang pretty darn amazingly.
8. Kady Malloy - Another one that I don't remember seeing much of. (Hey it was a long audition process!) And they definitely didn't spend much time on her tonight!
9. Amy Davis - Yep...no clue
10. Alaina Whitaker - 8-10 seem interchangeable to me. It's probably a good bet that one of them could upset one of the contestants that has gotten more attention so far. And perhaps they're vying for Kristy Lee Cook's spot or Brooke White's? Could happen! And if it does...I will tell you all that I accurately picked the top 12 anyway!
11. Asia'h Epperson - America likes a good story. Follow that up with some good vocals, you're in. But she has to keep it going!
12. Joanne Borgella - Joanne threw a wrench into my plan. I forgot all about her. She does have a very big voice to go with her plus-sized model self. And she's why I had to move Brooke White into Orange status. Although, with Syesha seeming like a shoe-in....maybe Asia'h and Joanne are fighting for a spot. Man this is tough stuff! I'm sticking with my 6 for now! (and 7th in Orange!)

Guys

1. David Cook - I like him, America likes him. He's in. But he'll need to win over Simon to get some good critiques!
2. David Archuletta - I don't like him, America likes him. He's in. There's one of these guys every year. Everyone is fooled into thinking he's really good. And sure...he's a really nice guy. And I was happy for him to get in. But I just don't think he's got the voice that will be the next American idol. Truthfully? No one in their right mind wants to buy an album from a 16 year old boy. So he's really in this show to give America a heart-warming story. And that's fine. Keep on singing your John Mayer David! I'll keep on rolling my eyes!
3. Danny Noriega - How on earth could we have a top 12 without a Male Jessica Alba impersonator? There....I said it! Now try and look at him the same way! Unfortunately, not a lot of pictures are out there of the Danny man just yet. But when there are, you can be sure there will be a side by side comparison! I haven't been this sure of a match since the days of Mr. Tumnus and Elliott Yamin! And since Pia Easily isn't going to be in our top 12...we're gonna need Danny for some material!
4. Jason Castro - Yep..nickname already decided: "DREADS" or any communist dictator alias. I just like the dreads...and for that, he gets Orange status!
5. Luke Menard - Who????
6. Michael Johns - No brainer, we figured that out yesterday! Did he develop some kind of British Accent? Is that why I thought he had been using a goofy voice before? Maybe it's just HIS voice???? oops!
7. Robbie Carrico - The mysterious Ex-Boybander turned Rocker. I want him to move on so I can learn WHAT boyband he was in! But I think only have time for one rocker...and Robbie seems like a fraud in the "rocker" genre anyway. I think we'll be able to learn about his boyband past during one of these Semi-final episodes! We'll put him in orange anyway, just in case someone else slips up!
8. Garrett Haley - Looks like some kind of Punk Bee Gee reject or something. Don't think we've seen much of him before!
9. Chickezie Eze - Oh yeah, this guy is getting through just with the name. He didn't sing too bad either in the audition. Haven't seen much since. But, by default and by having a cool name, Chickezie will probably be joining the crew.
10. Jason Yeager - Chuck Yeager's great great grandson? I dunno! but he definitely has like a streak of Blond/Grey in his spiked up Black hair. ooooh this guy is cool! Don't know enough about him yet. He'll have to wait on the sideline for a bit until he proves himself worthy!
11. David Hernandez - I gave him my props yesterday. Turns out Simon is not thrilled with him. We'll just have to see about that! I'll put him in the top 12. But if Simon has seen more of this guy than we have...I'd tend to have to put some doubt in this pick. Maybe one of these random guys is waiting to steal this slot from him.
12. Colton Berry - All I know is that he beat out Kyle Ensley who would've been an immediate hit with America and Votefortheworst.com all at one time.....and he would've made it to the top 6 because of it! So Colton is my hero!

In case you haven't been keeping up.

My top 12 Picks: Carly Smithson, Amanda Overmeyer, Kristy Lee Cook, Syesha Mercado, Asia'h Epperson, Joanne Borgella, David Cook, David Archuletta, Danny Noriega, Michael Johns, Chickezie Eze, David Hernandez

Wildcards: Brooke White, Jason Castro, Robbie Carrico

Of course, it is near impossible to ever get this 100% right. Knowing me, the top 12 will be filled with the people I didn't even give the time of day in this blog! Next week starts the real competition folks. Are you ready for it? Am I ready for it? (ugh...5 hours of Idol next week!) What are your thoughts on my top 12? Anything you'd do differently? I know a lot of our normal readers have been sleeping during the Auditions. Are you joining us now? Start putting in your 2 cents! Let's get the discussions moving! See you next week as we narrow down the top 24!

American Idol: Hollywood Week Part 1

Well well well.......WELLLLCOME Back American Idol! This is the show that I always knew could come back to us! Granted, I'm not a fan of even Hollywood Week, but I did like how they handled it this year vs. in the previous seasons. But the talent...whew! Can we just pretend last year didn't happen? So far, I'm seeing lots of people that have potential to take that crown as compared to last year when it was like "well, which one would be the least embarrassing?" But, it is still early in the process, and I'm sure the REAL talent will separate themselves from the rest of the talent. So, we were dealing with a 2 hour show...so there is really no EASY way to break this one down. But I have some ideas! I'm just going to start typing and see where it takes me!


So Hollywood this year: 164 contestants perform for the judges on Day 1 with the new option of playing with an instrument (some successful, others not). If you impress the judges, automatic bye to day 3. If you don't...another instrumentless audition to prove your worth! Day 3, the remaining perform to get into the top 50 which the judges will then narrow down to the Top 24 (in tomorrow's episode). No more GROUP performances! YAY! Okay, so I'm going to break down some of the talent into various sections below. See if you agree with my assessments and feel free to provide your own!

The Ones I Liked from auditions but may have some more proving to do

• David Cook - 25 - This guy stood out in the auditions for me with his aspirations to be the next Chris Daughtry and his solid take on "Livin' On a Prayer" We saw him tonight doing a little Bryan Adams "Everything I do I do it for you" and I still think he's got the skills. Simon is worried about his vulnerability without the guitar. Well, we saw him in the audition without a guitar and they didn't show him again tonight. So, I'm going to say they are putting him through to the top 24...and America will have the power from there.
• Amanda Overmeyer - 23 - Still got that Janis old school vibe going for her. She sang some Doors tonight and rocked on it. Add in her battle scars from her recent car accident and it makes her story even more intriguing. Although, I did write in my notes, right before Simon mentioned her potential to become monotonous, that her range seemed to be a bit limited. And I was worried about Simon's concern as well. She has a real shot to be unique and go far...but if she's only got the one trick in her bag....then it might not last her too long. We'll see!
• Kristy Lee Cook - 24 - The Oregon Philly auditioner. We didn't get to see her initial performance in Hollywood. All we know is that she had to come back for day 2. And well, she sang "Amazing Grace" again. So I'm a little worried that this is all she can sing! We may see more of her in tomorrow's episode. Jury is out on if she's going to last! But I'm going to give her the benefit of the doubt until I hear more!

Made Me a Believer Tonight

• David Hernandez - 24 - I'm not even sure I recall him from the audition rounds, and I'm not going to go back and read if I wrote anything about him. All I know is...he owned that stage with "Love the One You're With" and gave a pretty flawless performance. Anyone that can get Paula to say "One Hundred Trazillion Percent" is alright in my book!
• Brooke White - 24 - I remember her not impressing me with her audition. But, then the Superbowl advertisements started showing Brooke playing away on her keyboard to a song called "Beautiful" and well....she did her thing! I was sold after the commercials let alone seeing it again in the actual episode. Lots of talent this year!
• Carly Smithson -24 - She was the one that auditioned in a prior season and made it to Hollywood then didn't make it further. Now she's back with tattoos and a blue tongue (several other contestants had that too....did they feed them blue popsicles???). I didn't think anyone else would impress me with a rendition of Heart's "Alone" after Carrie ripped out her season 4 clincher version. But Carly was really really good. I have no idea who is going to win at this point!
• Michael Johns - 29 - I was sold on this guy after the auditions actually but then he made that silly comment leaving the audition room "it can happen to you folks" or something silly like that. He did it again tonight when the band cut him off and he kept singing "i wasn't going to let you ROB me of that one!" ugh.... but then he sang "Bohemian Rhapsody" and really rocked on it! And no cheesy one liners after it. Fine...I'll give up my quest to find something wrong with Michael Johns....for now!

Still a chance to win me over

• Danny Noriega - Well, I'm lying. He won't win me over. But I have to at least acknowledge that the guy can really sing and will probably be here for quite some time. But that flamboyant persona (my new favorite "PC" phrase!) just has to be tamed!
• Syesha Mercado - Battled through losing her voice to give a great rendition of "Chain of Fools" Not too bad!
• Asia'h Epperson - After re-watching her audition video and not judging her on performing days after her father died....I actually heard a lot of bad notes. Still, understandable under the circumstances. Anyway, the clip we saw of her tonight was pretty darn good. Not really someone I would be inclined to root for, but there are worse people out there like ones that the judges are force feeding me!

Judges Don't Know How to Quit Them and I just can't figure out why!

• David Archuletta - 16 - I don't know...maybe it's because he performed that "Waiting on the World to Change" again, but I just don't like this kid! Sure he can sing, but he irritates me! And I know I know...I'm going to have to get used to him because all the Moms in the world and all the girls that aspire to be Moms in the world want to take this guy home and pinch his cheeks. But me? I see him losing steam in the top 24...or one of the early casualties of the top 12. Or he could be a Sanjaya like person and stick around. But we have other people auditioning for the Sanjaya role!
• Kyle Ensley - 21 - Well Sanjaya or Kevin Covais...or some kind of cross breed! I mean, yeah...he can sing. And he sang a pretty decent version of "You Raise Me Up" but come on, this guy isn't going to win! They're keeping him around because he's goofy and nerdy and they can crack a few jokes on his behalf from time to time. Maybe he'll surprise me. But I dunno...I just don't see it!
• Josiah Leming - 18 - I dunno, right when I saw this guy telling the world he's been living in his car for a year I began to have my doubts about him. And then watching him cry and cry and cry and then sing in his best British accent a weird song he wrote and then some Snow Patrol....well I just didn't see what the judges saw! This trend continued tonight with him playing the piano (piano was good though) and singing "WALK THROUGH MY DOOR! WALK THROUGH MY DOOR! WALK THROGH MY DOOR! WHY DON'T YOU LIKE ME? WALK THROUGH MY DOOR!" Wow, Josiah! Very creative lyrics. And Simon calling it the most memorable performance of the day? Well, granted...I remember it! I didn't even have to look at my notes! Those were some tough lyrics! And then the debacle of his final performance where he couldn't work with the band...so he asked them to leave and destroyed "Stand By Me" One more time....I JUST DON'T GET IT! Why is he still in the competition? Sure looked to me (and it could've been good editing) that they judges felt bad for him because he was crying. But I've already talked to a few people that say they can't help but like The Josiah! Well, don't count on me jumping on that bandwagon anytime soon. I just don't get it!

And of course since I mentioned everyone else, may as well mention the other 2 that were given props:

• Robbie Carrico, Ramille Mulaby

Good Riddance to:

• Ghaleb (still don't know why they let him through!)
• Beauty Pageant Girl - PAULA ABDUL IS MY HERO for voting her out!

Feel a Little Bad for:

• Angela Martin - Single Mom performing to help her daughter. Father was killed since we last saw her. Still, she wasn't able to win the judges over and continue her dream. It's okay, because there is still an Angela Martin on NBC every Thursday on THE OFFICE!

Well that's all I got. Do you all agree with where I placed everyone? It's still way too early to figure out who is going to thrive based on the clips they've given us. We'll get our top 24 tomorrow night and as always, I'll try to pick the top 12 out of there. And then, the real competition can begin! Hope you enjoyed my ramblings!

Also, I added a couple new features to the blog on the right hand side. If you want to get an email update whenever the blog is updated, you can sign up. Also, if you subscribe to blog feeds, that option is available to you as well! Get your IDOL fix in however you prefer! Also, check out the feed to the LOST blog! You're missing out if you're not Watching and/or reading!

See everyone tomorrow as we break down the top 24!

American Idol: Best of the Rest

Well, we didn't think we'd get here folks but we finally did! We have reached the end of the auditions. And I gotta tell you, I'm actually pretty excited for Hollywood week next week. Looks like it's going to be a refreshing change from the norm! And with the changes put in place, it could eventually make for a diverse and interesting top 12! But one step at a time!

We still have to recap the "Best of the Rest" episode, which was a collection of clips not shown in the previous 7 audition episodes. Good and Bad. I don't really think they saved any gems for LAST, but some of them could sing pretty well. They did save some interesting BAD auditions and just some extra time with the judges and their hysterical banter. (Randy is on a roll this year with his mocking of the contestants! But him singing "Opposites Attract" on the Tuesday episode will be tough to beat!)

I mean we couldn't talk about this episode without mentioning the girl that THOUGHT she could sing and the twins that put her up to it! Watching Simon pet Ashley Lawing's puppy while telling her how horrible she was priceless! And really??? she dated both of the twins? Just bizarre! Or there was that girl that thought her voice was a gift from God and Simon asked if there was a Returns Policy! Classic! And of course after J-Smoov's performance Simon trying to sweep up the glitter provided for some additional laughs. Mainly because of his sweeping style!

Maybe I was just in a better mood because I knew for sure it was the FINAL audition episode...but I actually found myself enjoying the show tonight! Anyway....here are the additional folks that made it in!

• Amy Davis - 25 - Same ol' story...had a rough life growing up in a "lower than low" income household. She sang "Blue Bayou" and Randy/Simon put her through based solely on her potential. Blaming her flat performance on the nerves. I dunno...Wasn't a big fan, but we'll see if she can put it together!
• Cardin Lee McKinney - 20 - Said she works at a Fondue restaurant in Nashville. I'm gonna guess that would be the MELTING POT! Any locals should go scope it out! (you know who you are!) Anyway, she sang "One NIght Only" from Dreamgirls and just like the musical, the performance came off very "theatrical" as Simon said. Couldn't agree more. But, the girl could really sing and you had to let her through based on that. Give her a shot! Why not? I mean, after all, they let that Brazilian guy in that sings Egyptian music, surely they can let a Broadway singer in!
• JoAnne Borgella - 25 - You know, The Plus-Sized Model that sang at Madison Square Garden for a College Basketball game. She sang a carbon copy of Celine's "I Love you" which was really weird coming from the likes of JoAnne. But still her voice WAS impressive. Simon didn't care too much for it, but Paula has given JoAnne a mission to come with different SOUNDS to Hollywood...................ummmm........ok Paula!
• Alesha Stezal - 18 - Speaking of girls with different sounds, then there was the girl with ONE SOUND ONLY! Enter Alesha who tried to sing Celine's "I Surrender" and butchered it. I mean, Kelly Clarkson performed that on Idol while losing her voice and still sounded ridiculously better that that! (you must've known a youtube link was coming!) This girl came very very close to getting the boot but then PAULA came to the rescue supported by Randy's claim that she had a Dolly Parton voice. Long story short (too late) - Alesha was tasked with learning "Islands in the Stream" ....she returned and sounded so much better! Granted...not better to the fact that she's going to win the whole thing. But it was just a totally different performance! The best part? Simon excluded himself from the 2nd judging but then admitted Randy/Paula were right after she left the room. And of course they all got a kick out of Simon's "You're Going to Dollywood" ahhhh good times. Yeah...I must really be excited the Auditions are over....why would I still be writing about Alesha Stezal?
• Chickezie Eze - 22 - First of 2 Season 6 auditioners we saw return tonight. He sang some Luther and impressed Paula and Randy this time. Simon was stil in the NO camp. Oh well...he's through! (I really have no thoughts on him at this time...he was simply okay!)
• Danny Noriega - 17 - The 2nd season 6 auditioner. Well, you gotta get past Danny's flamboyant presence, crazy facial expressions, his West Side Story Gang Snapping during his performance of "Proud Mary" and simply focus on his voice. Because, MAN, that guy can sing! But if America is going for the total package, I really can't see this guy sticking around. If he does...he might turn into another Jon Stevens....or worse yet...SANJAYA noooooooo!!!!!! I guess we'll just see how things go with him as well!

And with that...the auditions are over! And I think we can all breathe one collective and giant sigh of relief. Hollywood is next and it's only one week long! THEN? Then we go to the Top 24 (and ugh....yep...3 nights of Idol for 3 Weeks. are you prepared??) We're finally getting somewhere folks. Hope all you early readers have enjoyed the Audition blogging. I say every year I'm going to get away from it but you got me to do it for one more! So, MAYBE next year I'll find a way to pry myself from it!

And with that, I will bid adieu until next week! Have a great weekend to Idol-only readers, see you co-Lost watchers on Friday and see everyone else in Hollywood!

American Idol: Atlanta Auditions

Here we are folks..Audition City #7 - HOT LANTA, GEORGIA! The land that brought us auditions from Clay Aiken, Jennifer Hudson and Fantasia BORINGo. Also the land that gave us Ryan Seacrest. Exciting stuff! Actually, we saw a couple decent people here tonight that we'll probably be seeing a bit more of as the competition goes on.

Well, I'm not going to waste time talking about how I feel entering week 4 of the auditions. I am going to say that I am looking forward to Hollywood Week next week after the Super Bowl commercials. It would seem that adding instruments this year is going to pay off! (And going to annoy me to no end since I should've auditioned!!! okay okay...I promise that won't be a theme for this whole season. It will be for the next COUPLE of seasons!!!!)

Anyway...moving right past the "I Love You Simon" Girl, the kid that auditioned 2 people behind Carrie Underwood in season 4, and "BEDROOM AUDITION" Guy, here's who we saw get in tonight:

• Josh Jones - 26 - Works with Glass - sang Queen "Don't Stop Me Know" While he has a good voice, it's really going to be tough to get past his Crazy Performance Eyes, his crazy performance dance, and trying to get past picturing him singing while facing the wall because the judges couldn't look at him and take him seriously! Paula and Randy decided to give him a shot though.
• Asia'H Epperson - 18 - Small town girl whose dad died in car accident a couple days before audition - This was some emotional stuff. She sang "How Do I Live" in honor of her dad. And well, you're not human if you didn't get a little touched by it! The performance was inspired and I thought she did really well. Not sure if I let my guard down because of the situation or she really was that good. But, I could see her sticking around for some time. The judges liked her smile too and I'm sure America will as well.
• Brooke Helvie - 18 - Miss South Florida Pig Kisser who says "Doo Doo American Idol" - She was out there to prove to Simon that pageant girls can sing. Best part of audition? When Paula noted that Brooke was standing with one foot forward and one foot back (like a Pageant contestant), Randy said that they go together like "Opposites attract" You know...like the Paula song! Come on I know you all remember MC Skat Kat! Anyway, Brooke sang okay but man she was one annoying weirdo!
• Alexandra Lushington - 16 - 93 year old Grandmother boyscout shirt wearing who sang "My Funny Valentine" - She was good. Nothing fantastic
• Amanda Overmyer - 22 - Dubbed "The Female Chris Daughtry" by Paula Abdul. This Rocker by day is a Nurse, by night gets on her Motorcycle Gear and ROCKS IT OUT! She busted out some Janis Joplin "Mean Woman" but didn't really sell us until she sang some "Traveling Band." She was definitely something different that the Idol machine can get behind this year. I kinda like her and think she'll also stick around for a bit. As for winning it all? Well, I don't know about that just yet!
• Josiah Leming - 18 - Tennessee guy living in his Car for a year - Well, an interesting story I guess...but seriously? Has he REALLY been sleeping in his car for 10-12 months??? I highly doubt it! But whatever, he wrote a song called "To Run" and performed it with his best British Accent. The judges were all about getting him to sing all of their favorite British Rocking songs for a bit. I didn't think he was that good, but think that people will feel sorry for him (if he makes it to the top 24) and will throw some support his way. We'll see!
  

So we saw 6 of 19 make it through...but don't you worry...we're getting a BEST OF THE REST Episode Wednesday night to catch a few more glimpses of the Good and Bad. I will probably blog about that as much as I did this one and then we'll move on to greener pastures. See you then!