American Idol: Top 10 Girls Perform

Another round of performances from our lovely ladies. The top 6 favorites are still performing well enough to stay in the top 6. The 4 that remain have their work cut out for them, but one of them I felt improved over last week. Want to find out who? Keep reading! The 10 contestants performed in reverse order from last week. Guess that keeps things fair. Here we go:

• Katharine McPhee - Stevie Wonder "All is Fair in Love" - Don't know if that's the exact title of song, but close enough. She's got great stage presence and a great voice, but boy was that a boring performance. Judges all agreed, she's better than this. Was a forgettable performance, but Katharine made a lot of fans in previous rounds. She's in good shape and is able to take some risks in the early rounds. This one didn't pay off for her.
• Kinnik Sky - Gretchen Wilson "Here for the Party" Well it was clear what Kinnik was trying to do here. She went from Prom Girl to Cow Girl in a week's time. She was trying to bring in her youthful spirit and energy. Well, she definitely showed a lot of energy. She forgot just one little thing. HER VOICE!!! Is it me or can this girl NOT sing? Maybe it was the song that didn't allow for her to show a range. But I'm just not feelin this girl. She may be in trouble. There are 2 other girls fighting her to get booted off, so we'll see what happens.
• Lisa Tucker - Jackson 5 "Who's Loving You" - Another oustanding outing for the Tuckster (why am I thinking of new nicknames? I mean...it's Lionel Richie!!!) Very soulful performance, very mature performance....oooh there's that word....MATURE. Simon said it best. She's trying to make a statement that "my voice is great and I am so young! Watch me do some old R&B songs!" It really doesn't matter what she sings in these rounds, she is a STAR. (yes, me and Paula made the same notes on the girl). But she may want to take Simon's advice and not make American Idol season 5 a BORING season! Let's modernize!
• Melissa McGee - Reba "Why Haven't I heard From You" Maybe it was just me, but I thought Melissa put together a much better performance tonight. She definitely looked better out there. And, I could see why they may have let her through to this top 24. She DOES have a unique voice to her, and yeah she can't hit the high notes, but she's not trying to. She's got a whole different level to her. There's a possibility we may have another Jessica Sierra on our hands. What I mean by that is, she doesn't quite belong in the top 12, but may end up there anyway and stay in a little longer than expected. I don't know if I like her THAT much, but I really didn't like Jessica either. Hence, the comparison! Simon was still looking for the WOW factor in Melissa, and doesn't expect much from her at this point. In any case, I move her up a spot to #7 (Kinnik lost some ground).
• Heather Cox - Mariah "Hero" - Well based on my picks last week (picking her to be gone by now), Heather had a lot to prove to me. Did she prove anything to me? Well, did anyone see the video backdrop of a sunset during Heather's performance? Yep, very good chance is the end of the line for her. I got nothing out of her performance. I just kept sitting there waiting for something to shock and awe me. Nope. Carbon Copy performance of Mariah. Well I shouldn't say COPY, obviously it didn't live up to the Queen of Scream. All 3 Judges united and agreed that if you're gonna pick Mariah, you better make it your own and not try and be safe with it. She didn't. The girl just isn't in the same league with our top 6. She may as well just pack her bags now.
• Brenna Gethers - Donna Summer "Last Dance" Oh how we all wish we'd be seeing her sing her Last Dance on Thursday. And when all is said and done, she should be. Anyone love how she did her hair like Miss Summer? Give me a break. Didn't have much notes on the girl...one word summed it up "AWFUL." The judges all agreed that she was not good....and the icing on the cake was Brenna's "I think I did wonderful!" All of this back and forth banter with Brenna led Simon to utter those infamous words "I think this is the last we'll see of you." Oh Simon...why do you do it? You know that only means that she'll be here next week! In an ideal world, Brenna will be gone Thursday.
• Paris Bennett - Bette Midler "Wind Beneath My Wings" Okay, we get it Paris. You can sing! Why didn't you just sing the "Greatest Love of All" while you were up there? What is there to say? She was fantastic, vocally. But Bette Midler? ugh.... I really hope this isn't a sign of things to come. I guess the Idol Team will think of Theme Nights that force these kids to sing songs that people their age listen to. That being said, the girl is safe. (while we're on the subject, there may be less guys that are good, but boy they can at least pick good songs!!!)
• Ayla Brown - "I want you to Need Me" ahhhh great...Celine Dion. Well, I'm glad Ayla got to wear make-up for the first time in her life. She did sing the song well and definitely has a strong voice. But again it was a song I didn't know. Not gonna get my votes! But she's still rounding out that top 6. Randy and Paula are continuously surprised by her performances. Simon went on and on about her being the type of person that works and works to improve in school, sports, music, anything. And Ayla is working hard to compete right now. She'll be in that top 12. It's just a question of when she'll leave it.
• Kellie Pickler - "Something to Talk about" Bonnie Raitt - what is it about this girl? I'm totally biased with her, but she really is just a likeable person! She definitely does not have the strongest voice in the competition, but she's entertaining, she picked a good song, she looked great.....yeah I know..I sound like the judges. I would agree with Simon that she was missing notes all over the place. But I also agree with him that at this stage, it just doesn't matter! America loves this girl. And yeah, the Calamari story was outstanding....and even better was hearing British Simon say "Calamari" with a southern accent. Kellie may never eat squid again, but she'll get to sing on Idol for some time to come! That is...unless Paula gets her wish and "Squishes" her..... I have no words...
• Mandisa - Faith Hill "Cry" - Ahh we can't get through a week of semi-finals without hearing a Faith Hill song can we? Maybe Kevin Covais will sing "This Kiss" next week! God, I would pay to see that! Anyway, what is there to say about Mandisa? She is sooooooo IN this competition. Very strong voice, weird song choice, but it worked for her. She's just great and will be in this show for awhile. And, it's all good because Paula likes her face! ....I have no words....

So here we are. Decision time. If we needed a bottom 3 this would be very easy! But, we're not in the top 12 yet....so we just need to pick 2! Let's rank the 4 that still need to be booted off. 7. Melissa 8. Kinnik 9. Heather 10. Brenna. It's as simple as that. I don't know if I'll ever succeed in my dream of getting all 4 picks right in these semi-finals, or getting the bottom 3 right and picking the right person in the top 12 to get booted. But I'm all about taking risks. And, yeah it's not a big risk...but it's an educated guess. Here we go!

Elimination Picks: Heather Cox, Kinnik Sky Wildcard Pick: Brenna Gethers

So, some of you are asking why oh why did you not pick Brenna to get eliminated? 2 Reasons. Reason #1, Simon's declaration that she WILL be gone. Reason #2 (loosely based on reason #1) - http://www.votefortheworst.com/. The site has gained much popularity over the years of Idol. Jon Stevens inexplicably went on a run. Scott Savol, the same. There will never be enough people intentionally voting for the worst to ruin the show entirely, but Brenna was so bad, that people WILL be inclined to vote for her tonight, especially with Simon's declaration of dismissal. And with the bottom 3 being almost equally bad, I think that gives Brenna the edge for one final week.

Anyone have a beef with my picks? Let's hear it! Who do you think is going home? Well, that's it for tonight. See you tomorrow.

American Idol: 3 out of 4 Ain't Bad

Alright, alright. So I lied about not doing a recap of the results show. But can you blame me? 3 out of 4!!!! Even the controversial Patrick Hall pick pulled through for me! So, anyone that knows me knows that I never hesitate to toot my own horn. But I'll try to keep it to a minimum, just like this blog. Here's who was eliminated from American Idol 5:

Girls:


Guys:

So, I guess this officially means that I AM the only straight guy that watches the show! So, anyone want to hear my conspiracy theory on why Becky made such an early exit? Well, besides the fact that she couldn't sing, did anyone see all the press she made over the past 2 days for her MAXIM Magazine spread with her twin sister a couple years ago? Yes yes, they were scantily clad in a little baseball gear or in towels in the locker room. You know...the perfect image for our next American Idol! And, well...if they kept her in the competition, there's a good chance her votes may have increasingly went up while her minimal talent remained the same. I've never been against the theory that Idol DOES tamper with the voting system to their benefit. I mean there is no question that Heather Cox had no air time and was absolutely horrible a couple nights ago...she should've been booted and I don't think anyone voted for her.

So...I am confident that the Idol Producing team decided to squash the Becky issue before it got too out of hand. Hence, why Simon insisted on "pursuing your modeling career" when she got voted off. And that folks, is why I am VERY impressed with my picks! More so for Patrick Hall though, whom many had told me they thought he wasn't THAT bad. And, he wasn't! He was just forgettable...and that's what I based my decision on.

Alright...one more issue before I come to a close. I think people think that I have joined the judges and am officially OFF my rocker on the Giddeon thing. Let me state for the record, I don't think this guy is IDOL WORTHY, but at the same time....I am pretty confident he will be in that top 12. For the same reason I think Sway has a good shot of getting in there. Nobody ever said this show was completely about TALENT. If you haven't seen the demographics represented in the past top 12's of Idol, then I'm not really sure what to tell you! That is as far as I can take it!

Don't get used to these Results Show recaps. I'll write them as I see fit! (who am I kidding? I can't get enough of myself!)

What did everyone else think of the eliminations last night? Did America get it right? Is there something fishy about the O'Donahue vote-off? See you next week.

American Idol Top 12 Guys Perform

If tonight is any indication of what's to come, then I have one thing to say to everyone who has been against my TEEN BASHING... "I TOLD YOU SO!!!!!!" Simon said something tonight that really rang home. "America must sitting at home thinking we're off our rockers!" And judging by the 12 guys we saw before us...I gotta say it's not far from what I was thinking. I mean they keep hyping up the GUYS as GREAT (they say it every year)...and then they all just fold under the pressure. It's going to be tough picking out who is going home tonight, because we have several options. What I like to do in this scenario is be scientific and work backwards! Let's recap what happened tonight:

• Patrick Hall - 27 - "Come To My Window" - Melissa Etheridge - "I picked this song because I want to show Simon another side of me" Should he really say something like that after picking a song by an OUT OF THE CLOSET performer? Maybe I just have a mind in the gutter. Anyway....the performance was OK, at best. It was just weird since this guy has been the BALLAD master...the judges were trying to support him enough to give him another chance because he HAD sung some pretty ballads. Simon begins his quest to pick the perfect breed of TOP 12 finalists and yells at Paula for judging on previous performances. SIMON....in 5 seasons...I think you've done it too!
• David Radford - 17 "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" - Queen - So he says he's singing it for the sole reason of reversing his "CROONER" stereotype. He does the unimaginable. He unintentionally CROONS QUEEN. And no no...not only did he Croon it...he played the AIR DRUMS! He tried to swing his hips Elvis style...and ended up just looking completely like a buffoon. Randy said it was flat out terrible. Paula instituted her "Paula Poodle Pound" (the 12 girls) who all loved David's performance. Simon said it had all come over as a joke and that David needs to start taking himself seriously. But thinks that the audience will like him. I didn't...I rolled my eyes through the whole thing. But I'm not his target audience. This one's gonna be a toughy!
• Bucky Covington - 28 - My advance apologies to the southern reading audience, but this guy is as "REDNECK" as they come! Please correct me if I'm wrong! He brought his Posse (I can only assume his parents/family) who were sporting "I HEART BUCKY" t-shirts... So he sang "Simple Man" by Lynard Skynard (of course he did). I had written down the question "is there such a thing as TOO Raspy?" Randy was thinking along the same lines. This guy was just forcing his Southern-Rock edge on the crowd...and that's exactly what it sounded like...FORCED. Paula supported the guy as always..and while Simon likes Bucky he thinks that there are 1000's of bars with someone like him singing away. I dunno..judging by the crowd reaction, I don't think people were too into his performance. And once again...I wasn't either.
• William Makar - 16 - "I want you back" - Jackson 5 - Well...he was lively on stage, he sang the song note for note, word for word. He tried to dance like Mike (Randy pointed out that he couldn't!) and the ladies ate it up. And alas, we get to where he's going to survive. The ladies love this little guy. That's why I picked him initially to be one of the 16 year olds that move on. I'll admit...he was good. But nothing earth shattering in my opinion. The judges began to show some of the "behind the scenes" colors of Idol during William's critique. Simon said that William is a nice looking kid with an Average voice which set Paula off. Simon said there was a chance to get some really good talent on the show and with Randy and Paula talking up the hotties with no voice...they're ruining the show. Maybe it's just me looking a little too much into things, but it seems like Simon implied by this that in past seasons; this was intentionally done because they did NOT have the talent. hmmmmmmm
• Jose "Sway" Penala - "Reasons" Earth, Wind, and Fire - Maybe we should just call him Falsetto boy. These judges have kicked people out in the auditions for singing like Sway did tonight. But now they LOVE it? Okay...so he proved he can sing for a long period of time in the Falsetto voice....and he sure did hit one crazy high pitched note. But Randy and Paula are really smokin something good if they thought that performance was GOOD! I guess it was aight...maybe enough to pull through till next week. I did have him as a top 12 candidate, so we'll see...I wasn't impressed...and neither was Simon calling it all "too pimpy"
• Chris Daughtry - 26 - "Wanted Dead or Alive" - Bon Jovi - More flaming backgrounds, but at least these weren't the same cheesy ones from the Mandisa and Kimberly Locke performances. Still cheesy....why am I thinking of Burger King all of a sudden? mmmm bacon. Anyways...this without a doubt was the first GREAT performance of the night. He actually has an IDOL-WORTHY voice and just needs to work on his performance skills. Well the judges things he needs it more than I do. I think it'll come to him. He's got the goods. And apparently he's made some decent song choices along the way. We didn't see them all, but I'm looking forward to hearing him in the Top 12.
• Kevin Covais - 16 - "One Last Cry" Brian McKnight - "Ever since I was 8...I've loved Brian"....ok...dude..it's been 8 years...get over it! I don't know what it is, I cannot get on board with this guy. Maybe because he just doesn't look the IDOL part. Maybe I'm so shallow that I've been brainwashed by the American Capitalistic Music Marketing scene and just know that this guy will never survive out there....or in this competition. He's got a great voice...but to me he seems TIMID and I see fear in his eyes. Paula and Randy translate this as "HE'S a REAL person!" Whatever! Then give me FAKE! Simon upped Kevin's audience age to 90 and hard of hearing. Good times. And if Simon keeps that up...we're going to see Kevin in this competition for awhile because people just feel bad for him. Moms and Female Idol finalists want to pinch his little cheeks. ugh..spare me. He's TOO young and TOO wrong for this competition! That being said, he won't be going home just yet.
• Giddeon McKinney - 17 - Memphis TN "Shout" - Preacher Boy! - Alright..I already said this guy has a golden ticket to the top 12. And I just can't say why! Maybe it's his.....smile! Maybe it's his bright colored shirts?? who knows? But I'm telling you, there is no way this guy won't make the top 12! That being said...I don't like him. lol. But he did an alright performance of "Shout!" Very reminiscent of the performance in animal house...old school like that. And well man...come on...he has "IT!" He already told us! Simon clearly was not in a good mood at this point and told him that he didn't like his smile and that it was a Chippendale warm-up act...leading to the homophobic banter between Ryan and Simon. Whatever, this guy didn't do enough to impress me to talk about him more. He's safe.
• Elliott Yamin - 27 - "If you Really Love Me" Stevie W - I had said that I preferred this guy to the crooners but didn't think he'd fit in the top 12. Maybe he'll be able to switch with Sway because this guy does have a pretty damn good voice. But here's a question...do any Dentists out there have the ability to transform his teeth within weeks? Because if I can notice them, they have to be God Awful! Anyways...this guy is good and is safe and if there was any question...look to Simon for reassurance "in 5 seasons, Best male vocalist we ever had"
• Bobby Bennett - "Copa Cabana" - Barry Manilow - This performance was a joke. Too much ridiculous dancing, too much winking, too much pointing, too much growling "At the CWWWWWWROWLLLLLLLLOOOOOOPA Copa Cabana!" I mean...who does that??? I know I know...Bobby does!!! And boy does this guy love Barry Manilow. This is the point where Simon made his comment about America thinking the judges have finally lost it. (well..the 2 besides Paula...she lost it long before!) I mean...it was atrocious! Just rewind your TiVo's and listen to the applause after his performance. Keep listening...you missed it! I think everyone was more concerned about if Barry Manilow survived listening to it than remembering to politely clap! Simply AWFUL! But Paula apparently thinks Bobby could sing "Old MacDonald had a 'Frickin' Farm" if he wanted to. Remember when I said Paula had lost it already?
• Ace Young - 25 - "Father Figure" George Michael - Wow...what a song choice...didn't know he had it in him. To still pick a George Michael song in this day and age...you have to be A.) Hot, B.) Able to be taken seriously, and C.) Comfortable with your sexuality. Well this Ace guy is one smooth cat...and one of those rare occasions where a straight guy can say..."damn that guy is good looking"....(ok...I'm taking it back!! no I didn't say it!!!!) Anyways...with the help of my lady friends...I am able to say that he fits all 3 of those points I brought up. And he was just flat out GOOD. Randy went into his whole speech about how they have had guys working the camera in the past (that thought they could work the camera)...except ACE really could! Paula said that all of her MALE friends were probably passing out at home. That was actually funny. Get it? Paula's a dancer and she probably has a lot of male dancer friends? Get it!?!?! it's funny! Leave me alone! Simon went ahead and plugged his other show by saying that Ace has "what we like to call...the 'X-Factor'" Not the best vocals...but something extra special that is intriguing...brilliant song choice you will sail through to the top 12. (that was me and Simon saying that together)
• Taylor Hicks - 29 -Birmingham, AL "Levon" -Bernie Taupin/Elton John - Love that he mentioned Bernie too who actually writes Elton's lyrics. A True musician we got here. I love this guy. He's just so unique and he just loves music. And believe it or not...I wrote all of that before the 3 judges even started blabbing on about the same thing. Simon said he got the most comments about Taylor than of any other contestant. It's the guy I've been talking most about (besides my support for Kellie who won't be going Very far!). He did well with Levon, but I'd like to hear him do something with a little more soul so we can see this guy get down. But there's just something special about him...and we're going to see him for a long time to come...and thank God for that! like I said before...FINALLY a GUY TO ROOT FOR! And he got my votes tonight.

Ahh the fun part. I still haven't decided who to vote off! Well, let's figure this out. Who are shoe-ins for the top 12 at this point? Taylor, Ace, Elliott, Chris, Giddeon (I'm telling you..he is! lol) There's only one spot left and 7 people!

Okay so who's on the fence? William Makar, Sway
Who may make in in accidentally? Kevin Covais
Who else is out there? Patrick Hall, David Radford
Who should not make it, no way on God's Green Earth? Bucky, Bobby
Who Cares about ANY of these guys? Everybody but me

Alright, well there's really no easy way to guess the 2 that are going home. But I'm going to try it anyway. Bobby is a definite. If he survives this week...spend all of your money because the apocalypse will be arriving soon. I want to say Bucky will be leaving with him, but he has that redneck likability factor that may interest people for a couple weeks. So I'm going to go with the guy that gave the most forgettable performance of the night and also said "It's tough going first."

Elimination Picks: Bobby Bennett, Patrick Hall Wildcard Pick: David Radford
Bonus Wildcard: Bucky

Wow...that was tough. I would've put Radford as a sure thing, but Simon had to go ahead and say that America will like him. I mean..he was ridiculous out there! But much more memorable and people will be more willing to give him a 2nd chance over Patrick. We'll see how things go. I'm rarely 100% right on these things, but you'll always hear from me when I am! So this is the first week where I will not be doing a blog for EVERY show. Those who have read my recaps before know that I do NOT do Results Show Recaps! So enjoy the ridiculous hour of nonsense tomorrow night (or tonight, depending when you are reading it). And I'll see you next week for 2 more lovely long recaps!

American Idol Top 12 Girls Perform

Alright, finally we have some performances to judge! And we have a brand new semi-final stage where all the finalists overlook the singing contestant and sing a long or dance to their little hearts' desires. And of course...The Dawg Pound returns. Well, being the first night that I was back on duty, I took way too many notes. So I will try my best to condense them. But with Paula Abdul ALSO being back in action, it's gonna be tough! So, some very strong performances and some ridiculously weak performances. The big question on everyone's mind, though, have I changed my mind yet about my top 6 female picks? In the words of Simon, Absoloooootely Not! If anything, the minimal airtime girls reinforced why they did not see the light of day or maybe just a cracked open windowshade at airtime in the previous 20 weeks of Idol. So, that being said, let's get to the performances:

• Mandisa - Oh look at that, she DOES only go by one name! I'll spare the backstories that the producers made us suffer through to buy 2 hours of airtime tonight. Our Cali-girl turned Nashvillian decided to perform a Heart song "Never" in her own 'tricked-out' style. And there always has to be one performer that sings with a video background of FIRE every season. Reminded me of Kimberly Locke's awful rendition of Heat Wave in season 2 which kicked off the top 12 performances. Well, Mandisa BROUGHT IT and it was very good, very energetic. All of the judges rejoiced in their discovery....But Paula compared the performance to Carrie taking on Heart last season...How did she sum it up? "You Broke the record for magnificent"....ahh it's great to be back on LIVE TV, isn't it? Simon announces in his own words that Mandisa has set the bar for the competition. I'll reserve my thoughts on her until the Top 12 performances (or I'll try)...she's good enough to make it there!
• Kellie Picker - "How Far" - Martina McBride - Kellie Kellie Kellie....why are you breaking my heart? No one can deny her ridiculously awesome personality...and I agree with the judges that it will carry her far. I just hope it's far enough to get her into that top 12. There were some "YIKES" and "OUCH" notes in there (just going by my notes..lol) that scared me. And she still was sincere with her singing....and people are drawn to this girl. It was clear she was still nervous and hopefully she can work it out. Based on some of the other "talent" though, she is in no danger of being eliminated Thursday. (she got MY votes!) Plus...her celebrity Grandfather and his love for sandwiches may be just what America wanted! (if you didn't hear the story...I can't help you! That's all I wrote down!)
• Becky O'Donahue - performing "Because the Night." Simon summed this up the best. Visually - a 10, Voice - 6 and a haaaalf. It was just a bizarre performance for me, and I don't think she has what it takes to compete in this competition. Then again, neither did Scott Savol or John Stevens.....and well...she's prettier than them! So, I give her a pass this week. I lied before...I think there are other "Men that like girls" that watch this show. But...they're probably mostly all married or their girlfriends make them watch. So...they'll sneak into the bathrooms for a "break" and text or call those votes in for Becky! I feel for you guys....(yeah...like they read this recap!) But I go for the Full Package! And she doesn't cut it!
• Ayla Brown - "Reflection" Christina Aguilera - My first impressions from the auditions with Ayla were that she was a little full of herself....and well she had one of those crazy SOCCER MOMS that think her kid is infallible. I may have come around a bit today. She was really good. I heard some hints of Mariah and Xtina in the 17 year old Basketball star. Was a rough beginning...but she brought it home....in a BIG way. Paula liked that she showed vulnerability. Randy was pleasantly Surprised. Simon said that she's a hard worker who has strived to improve. But there is a limit to her vocal range and we saw it tonight. Maybe...but she's a top 12'er. And Simon agreed that it was better than he expected.
• Paris Bennett - So I've been drawing comparisons to Fantasia since we first saw this girl and her crazy celebrity Grandmother (REAL celebrity!...not like Kellie's Grandfather). Anyone see it yet? The judges do. So, is that a good thing? I guess....I mean...Fantasia DID win American Idol (in an OFF-season). No one can deny either of their talents. And Paris is a LITTLE more likeable than Fantasia....plus she's a cute little 17 year old. Fantasia was/is..a..err....nevermind. This is a family recap! I liked when she did her own little Midnight Train To Georgia and tooted the horn "HOO HOO!" with her arm. Very charismatic....controlled the stage...and so young! So much young talent! nooooo! Paula called her the Energizer Bunny and mentioned she avoided a wardrobe malfunction. Well with all that hoppin and boppin, something was bound to come a POPPIN off! Anyways..love her or hate her....this girl's in it for the long haul.... Jury's out for me.
• Stevie Scott - "To Where You Are" - Opera girl sings Opera Song - ...... ........ ....... ummm ......... ummmm ......WHAT????? Are you KIDDING ME??? Those were my exact reactions to Stevie's performances. This "I'm so unique to this competition that people will love me!" girl was ridiculously boring...and didn't even try to rely on ONE note to save her performance...it was all monotone....it was weird.....it was .....FORGETTABLE. Well, I remember it because I wrote it down! Paula pulled out some big words to support her...I think I heard her drop "EPHERIAL" in there. Simon said what we were all thinking...an UTTER MESS! It was a disaster. And there is no question in my mind that she will be going home this week. In the words of Adam Sandler's Opera Man...."BYE BYE!!!!"
• Ana Lucia - errrr umm...Brenna Gethers - Any dual Lost/AI watchers should immediately see the resemblance. It's uncanny! Here are my notes from her performance "Please don't Ad Lib ever EVER again! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!" Yeah...she was bad. She did a little Stevie Wonder ditty called "You are the sunshine of my life" and it was incredibly bland. She was trying to reverse the Attitude persona that made her instantly famous on previous editions of Idol. Simon asked for the CLAWS to come back out. And she may just get her chance...because believe it or not...someone was worse than her!
• Heather Cox - "When You Tell Me That You Love Me" - The AI Season 4 Song. Are you INSANE, Heather? This girl has had little to no airtime...and apparently suffered from laryngitis (I'm not even going to try and spell it right) in the previous audition rounds. So, she really need to wow the crowd. And she picks the awful IDOL song performed by last year's top 12? And not only that....she did nothing to make the song her own...or even STAND OUT. It was the wrong Key! Too low for her! and THANK YOU RANDY for agreeing with me! This is not the way to stand out of the crowd...and because of that....She's Done!
• Melissa McGee - I believe my previous comment about her was "WHO?" And I turned out to be justified. She wasn't even on the AIR before last Wednesday's show when she made the Top 24. She performed "When the Lights Go Down" by Faith Hill. She was aight...but she has an uphill battle to fight and this wasn't the performance to begin that fight. Paula thought it was a shining moment for Melissa and loved the tone of her voice. I thought the tone was kinda boring....but what do I know? Simon thinks she is overshadowed by other strong personalities in the competition...well that would explain the lack of Airtime! she may have earned herself a few votes this week. I have to think more than the other 2 awful performances.
• Lisa Tucker - What's there to say about this 16 year old wonder? She's phenomenal. She really got into her performance of "I am Changing" (Jennifer Holliday). Randy suggested it was a very ambitious song choice especially for a girl her age. Paula again with the priceless comments "You are a precious little gift. You light a little fire in my heart. You are a star!" Simon "you make the older girls look ordinary." Gotta agree with them here. Miss Lionel Richie has got the goods! No question a Top 12'er.
• Kinnik Sky - let's get this out of the way. Are we at a Beauty Pageant or American Idol? What's with the evening gown Kinnik? Way too look WAY TOO OLD for this competition! Oh wait...you're singing Justin Guarini's "GET HERE?" DING DING! You've officially lost any respect I was going to give you! Okay...in all seriousness...Justin didn't write it! But he still sang the song a billion times in season 1. And sounded like such a girl doing it. She's got a big voice....but I thought the performances was quite dull. The judges all agreed. Simon summed it up saying the Youth in the competition are making it look too easy and there was no WOW factor with Kinnik. Alright, Simon, I couldn't figure it out but I'm sold. I wasn't WOW'd either.
• Katharine McPhee - "Since I Fell For You" - made famous by Barbara. Wow....the music teacher's daughter....finally gets the stage. And she put on quite a show. My only complaint was that she was very emotional with the performance, but it looked like her feet were glued to the floor! Just a minor nitpicking detail. She was awesome. There are some strong female contestants. The judges argue she may just be the strongest (well, Simon said it). I thought she was fannnntastic, but she has some female competition. But she's in it to win it! Paula declared she's going all the way...and Congrats Katharine...you made her love her job!

Whew...that was a lot of typing. So what did we learn tonight? There are 4 singers that are untouchable as of this point: Mandisa, Paris, Lisa, Katharine So there's 2 spots open. And...well I'm sticking with Kellie and Ayla to round out the 6. There really shouldn't be any big surprises with who's getting kicked out here. There was such a dramatic difference. Here are how I rank the bottom 6:

7) Kinnik Sky, 8) Melissa McGee, 9) Becky O'Donahue, 10) Brenna Gethers, 11) Stevie Scott, 12) Heather Cox

It's only a question of when at this point. And Stevie and Heather were just THAT bad! If one of them somehow gets the sympathy vote, then my extra guess would be Melissa McGee, I just don't think people will remember her performance. So that's it kids! Tune in tomorrow for the GUYS. We'll get to see if Taylor Hicks can consistently bring the heat! Thanks for Reading!

Elimination Picks: Stevie Scott, Heather Cox Wildcard Pick: Melissa McGee