early observations (caution: spoilers)

Now THAT is what I call a show.  I don't know if I've ever watched an episode of American Idol and not called any performance wretched.  There were a couple that could have been better, but none of the cringe-worthy variety.

Here are my rankings, from worst to first, but with little commentary because it's late, I have to work in the morning, and I still have to vote.  Just need to decide for whom.

10.  David.  It was your second chance.  It was boring.  The judges were right when they told you that you haven't lived up to your audition promise. 

9.  Joe.  One thousand percent better than last time and, had the others tripped on the stage, you might be higher in the rankings.  Better doesn't always mean great.  Good just wasn't good enough tonight.

8.  Constantine.  Even I was able to detect your off-pitch moments, and I don't even know what pitch means exactly.  I liked last week's vocals better, despite what the judges said.  But it wasn't close to being my favorite of the night.

7.  Travis.  Nice vocals.  Nice dancing.  Nice smile.  You bought yourself a reprieve, I think.

6.  Scott.  I would love to choose your songs.  You are not a romantic-looking guy, but you sing like an angel.  The look and the songs just aren't meshing.  But you are looking more and more terrific.

5.  Mario.  Your showmanship hides a lot of vocal flaws.  But entertainment is the name of the game, so you're doing fine.  Just quit bossing around the audience.  They'll clap if they want.  They'll dance if you make them want to.  You telling them too is irritating.  And distracting.  And so DeGarmo-ish.  But I like the new hat.

4.  Nikko.  I want to get it on now too.  That was great.

3.  Anwar.  You can sing Marvin Gaye too.  Any day of the week.  Every day of the week.

2.  Bo.  You made me like that.  I feel so....young.

1.  Anthony.  You had me worried at first, but that killer note did me in. 

To be honest, I could mix up one through four and be happy with whichever name got drawn first.  It was that good of a show. 

Who should leave:  Joe and David.
Who will leave:      David and Joe.

semi-finals, round two...

Be great but not Wonder-full

Ten remain.  Only eight will stick around for another week. 

Hopefully the guys (and the ladies tomorrow) learned some very valuable lessons from last week's semi-disaster.  No karaoke.  Lay off the ballads.  And please, please, for the love of music, no more Stevie Wonder.  Leave it for theme night.  (And now that I think of it, no Stevie Wonder night either.  How about Roger Whittaker night instead.)

It's only the second round, and I know that I like this semi-final format much better than the previous rounds of unknowns.  [Forgive me, having a flashback of last year's second group.  Roman brothers.  Camile Velasco and Matt Rogers outvoting Lisa Leuschner.  Breathe.  Breathe.  One.  Two.  Three.   There.  I'm better now.] We'll go into tonight with an idea and anticipation of what we'll hear and a better chance to form a true opinion.

Yes.  Definitely better than a one night stand then not hearing from them for weeks.

Several of the guys caught a break last week, escaping elimination early and given an opportunity to undo what damage they might done.  Judd was most certainly not the worst of last week, so there are a few of the men who owe him.  Big time.

David Brown, your early exposure during the audition episodes probably kept you in the game, because your performance was disappointing, even though I must admit, listening to just the audio, it was much better than I remember last Monday.  Take a lesson from Mario -- it's more than just singing.  It's performing. 

Joseph Murena, please don't sing a ballad.  The most interesting thing about your voice also screams when the video is stripped away.  You sound exactly like Cher.  I didn't catch it at first, and it wasn't until I was blog jogging and stumbled upon a discussion.  Listen to the audio, and decide for yourself.  (If you really really want to hearthat song again...)  Steer clear of the ballad.  Move your feet.  Choose a song that will force the audience to move in their chairs.  This is your last chance.

Travis Tucker, no more Stevie Wonder.  You have a smile that lasts until Tuesday.  Play with the audience.  Flirt with them.  Buy them dinner if you have to.  The clock is ticking for you, if you turn in one more mediocre performance.

Nikko Smith.  Do I have to repeat the Stevie thing?  Of the four, your vocals were the best last week, but to survive you're going to have to give us more than just vocals. 

These four might be in the most precarious position.  Any one of the four could have been ejected last week, and it would have come as no shock or disappointment.  They're the ones who will have to be better than good and hope for some weaker offerings to have a shot at singing in week three.

The others are pretty safe, either via vocal fan bases or the judges' praise.  Bo, Anwar and Mario pretty much have to deliver as well or better than they did in round one.  Anthony has enough of a following to survive through this round, but he will have to pick up his game a lot to make it through the long haul.  Constantine is in the same position.  He has enough fans to fly through this week but, even though I thought his vocals were a lot better than he was given credit, he will have to face the rocker quota problem.  But at this point in the game, having heard the other performances, it would not surprise me in the least to see the voters put through both him and Bo into the final six.

And that leaves Scott.  Again, listening to the vocal, without the video, Scott arguably had the best pure vocal performance.  His challenge remains style and his perceived anti-social tendencies.  I am curious how much of that is leftover assumption based on those Hollywood group performances and how much of it is real.  Nonetheless, he remains the antithesis of an American Idol.  A big-league underdog.

And people love an underdog.  Scott will be fine this week.

Okay, here goes.  My pre-show prediction.

Say goodnight Joseph and Travis.

Now we'll see.

it's the first blinkie day...

Okay blinkie fans.  These are yours for the taking.  And displaying.  Thanks to Angel for her original creations.  (And we've got a lot more in store.  Click her logo and and stop by her journal to thank her.)  Take your favorite.  But please, do not copy/paste from here.  Save them to your own computer. 

 

   

   

   

   

   

   

                          

 

 

it's american idol barbie...

And her friends Tori and Simone!  Coming to a store near you.  Just in time for holiday gift giving.

Do you think I could make this stuff up?

Here's the dish:

American Idol Barbie doll is modeled after America's favorite star-search competition show

Two hot outfits let you give Barbie new looks between performances

Ever Flex body bends and poses any way you like

Included karaoke machine plays the smash hit "Oops, I Did it Again"

Includes backstage pass for all-access privileges during the show, and CDs with CD case

Also available: American Idol Simone doll, American Idol Tori doll and American Idol performance stage.

Please bear in mind that the ultimate performance stage will set you back about $50.  But there will be a convertible Mustang, just like the winners win, except smaller and less functional, which will run about $20.

Gotta love that Barbie.  She wins everything.

when you wish upon an idol...

After staunchly denying they had any intent to, it looks as though Freemantle Media is in negotiations to release the entire seasons of Idol One, Two and Three.  The entire season.  Not the "best of" compilation they passed off as the exclusive DVD of the first season.

The release of the DVD sets would coincide with the release of the American Idol Barbie sets.

Yes, Barbie.

How appropriate.  Maybe Barbie gets a new friend, named Carmen.  Or Julia.  Camile.  Or Justin.

observations...

Would you like some cheese with that?

Yeah, yeah, it took all of 15 minutes into the new season for tempers to fly and the whining to start.  Melinda Lira, following her less than compassionate dismissal from the semi-finals, when asked, idiotically, what went wrong, began to lament being dissed by the producers during the audition and Hollywood episodes, putting her at an immediate disadvantage with the fans.  It's why she lost so soon.

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

Melinda obviously watched the episodes, just like the rest of us, so she was not unaware of the challenge ahead of her.  And yes, we were able to build somewhat of a relationship with many of the final 24.  And no, we had never seen nor heard of her until the 24 show.  But we had also heard little if anything of Joseph Murena, Aloha Mischeaux or Celena Rae, and yes, all of them have a steeper hill to climb than, say, Mario Vazquez or Mikalah Gordon.

But this is nothing unusual.  Hello?  Is she new here?

It's the name of the game.  Some are annointed early on, and, fairly or not, pimped from the start.  So that's when the less-annointed need to pump up the volume and blow the stage apart. 

Remember Latoya?  She built a vocal and steadfast fan group with a 90 second appearance.  It was the first time we had seen her face, and she seized her moment and belted out a memorable performance.  She didn't simply stand there and give us yet another Celine Dion attempt.  (Or Whitney.  Or Mariah.  Or the usual suspects or the overused songs.)  She made a statement.  She challenged us not to vote for her.

Melinda didn't do that.  Melinda didn't even try.

Melinda didn't get tossed because she was unfairly treated.  Melinda got punted because, of the less-annointed ones, she was the worst.  And most boring.  And most forgettable.

Let this be a lesson to Celena.  And to Joseph.  If you don't prove to us that you deserve our phone call, you have no one to blame.

Except yourself.

in, not out...

Thanks AOL Journals Editors.

I'm proud to a part of a great list of journals this week.

First time visitor?  Please join the conversation.  And stick around. 

It's going to be another fun ride.

you're out, you're out, you're out, you're out...

It appears as though American Idol is getting what it probably was hoping for -- more controversy.  Nothing generates buzz faster, and buzz translates into ratings.

Of course the elimination of the first four was crass, not the normal, gentle release of the least-voted-for that we've become accustomed to.  And yes, the out-of-the-blue, safe one moment, gone the next shock and awe tactic left the kids, both the goners and the stayers in a state of astonishment and tears.

Was it too much?  Was it too harsh? 

It wasn't nice to see Melinda Lira in a virtual catatonic state, trying to absorb being hit over the head with the "Melinda you're out" end to her hopes.  And yes she was angry.  And yes, she was right.  She came into the semis with a huge fan deficit, courtesy of not having a smidge of airtime up until the 24 show.

But that's why she should have pulled out all of the stops and blown the place apart with a rousing, force-them-out-of-their-seat performance, not another sleepy ballad in a show dominated by sleepy ballads.  She chose to essentially plant her feet and try to handle an overused Celine Dion song.  Her choice.  Her bad.  So, while I felt for the abrupt manner in which she was tossed, I am not surprised, nor disappointed in her ouster.

Jared Yates had the same problem -- anonymity, caused by no airtime.  He needed a Hail Mary.  He got himself sacked instead with one of the most boring performances of the 24 we heard.  There are no tears being shed for Jared; he had the opportunity, and he threw it away.

Sarah Mather's dismissal was a little surprising, considering Janay's destruction the night before, but not shocking in that the promise that Sarah showed during the audition rounds was pretty much destroyed on Tuesday night, even though initially I had expected her to be in the final six.

But Judd Harris' elimination was a bit of a shock.  I didn't expect him to make it into the finals, but I sure didn't expect him to go after the first challenge. 

But c'mon Idol producers.  Was it really really necessary to play such games with these kids on live television?  Did you think running the guys through the "not you, not you" gauntlet, only to yell "psych!" was amusing?  Did you really think implying to the guys in the front row that they were safe, then screaming "just kidding!" would gain you more viewership?  Didn't that stupid stunt with George last season teach you anything?  Do you really want the blood and guts lovers to flock to your show now?  Are you that desperate for more viewers?  Don't you have enough?

"You're fired" has been taken.  "You're out" is a sappy substitute.  And not an appreciated one.  We know that the music business is cutthroat.  That's why we have Simon.  Let Ryan go back to the way it's worked for three seasons.  These kids are going to have their feelings hurt enough.  Why make it worse?

So now, how are we going to do it next week?  Force them to drink vinegar and eat fish guts?  Then we can let them sing while being disemboweled.

After all, they're just people.

it's only a spoiler if you want it to be...

The first results show is history, and four are gone.  If you missed it, or if you want to know before the show airs in your area, click the links.

Top 10 gals

Top 10 guys

No real shockers, but maybe a couple of surprises.

well we're glad they cleared THAT up...

This Constantine-dissed-Randy business has been more blown out of proportion than the Fantasia-sassed-Simon silliness from last season.

Thankfully they took the time and effort to clear up the misunderstanding.

It was Ryan -- not Constantine -- that told Randy to stick to rapping after Randy "tried" to sing a note.

So everyone can drop their slings and their arrows now.  Unless, of course, you want to hurl them at Ryan.  Then, by all means, proceed.

semifinal week one...

How are we supposed to live without you...

Guess we'll have to learn, because after tonight, four of you will become American Idol footnotes, listed forever in the "others" column.

It's punting day!  Tonight's the night when Ryan will take 10 minutes worth of material and turn it into an hour, thirty minutes of commercials, 20 minutes of nonsense and 10 minutes of boo-hoos.  And they're making us stay up until 10 p.m.

Of course, the question hanging over the evening will be who gets cut, and which ones of the boys and girls will live to wreck another song.

Let's talk about the boys.

Who is safest of the safe? 

Bo Bice.  Arguably one of the best performances of the Monday night show, it gained him in popularity what the lack of airtime cost him.  He may have just gone from an afterthought to a frontrunner for top 12.

Anwar Robinson.  He was a top contender going into Monday, and his ship continues to cruise up the Moon River swiftly.

Mario Vazquez.  Mario even gets top billing on AOL's welcome screen, and it's quite apparent he is the judges' baby.  And we all know what being the judges' baby can mean for little Ruben and little Fantasia wannabes.

They ain't going nowhere anytime soon.

Who's pretty safe?

Scott Savol.  Scott's got all the creepy lovers working their fingers to the bone to support the non-conventional candidate.  His performance was less than memorable, but he's built up enough credit to withstand a lesser performance, and he, and some others, have the advantage of plenty of more dismal ones.

Anthony Federov.  Pre-teen and teenaged girls are smoking the phone lines for this kid.  He could have hummed his song and escaped unscathed.

Nikko Smith.  Not great, but not the worst, and at least he was in tune, on tune or somewhere near tune.

Judd Harris.  JPL lovers unite!  Here's your guy.  Reborn in a new and improved model.

Constantine Maroulis.  He wishes he would have chosen Bo's song, but his fan base is secure, which makes him secure.  Oh sure, some people have their panties in a wad over a perceived rude remark he threw at Randy.  Most people didn't even hear it until the message boards started smoking.  This has become as pettyand as insignificant as Fantasia's flippant remark to Simon last season.  It too shall pass.  He will sing another day, but he needs to pick it up a bit to stay in the competition.  The favored rocker has now become the underdog.

Who's in trouble?

Travis Tucker.  Oh Travis.  You and your grin might be waving goodbye sooner than expected.  Prettiness only gets you so far.  Unless you're Justin Guarini.

David Brown.  Oh my David.  My guy!  What happened to you?  I had hopes you'd make the top 12.  You'll be lucky to make the top 22.

Jared Yates.  Backstreet Boys are hiring!  You're gonna need a day job very soon.

Joseph Murena.  I hope you survive another week, because we've really not had the opportunity to get to know you. 

What about the girls?

Safer than safe:

Carrie Underwood.  She's Simon's darling.  She will be sticking around until sometime in May.

Nadia Turner.  People want to see her go toe-to-toe with Bo.  Can you just picture them in a Ford commercial?  Me too. 

Pretty secure:

Vonzell Solomon.  A good fan base at the ready even before the game began will carry Vonzell through.  And her mediocre performance, as with the guys, was made even better by the ghastly ones that followed.

Jessica Sierra, Lindsey Cardinale and Celena Rae.  Their average, though boring, ballads were better than the worst we heard.

On the line:

Amanda Avila.  Not only did you do a repeat of a Monday song, you chose an overdone Idol song and then confused the lyrics.  And, even though Simon would like to be your microphone, don't depend on pretty to carry a whole lot of votes.  Your days are numbered.

Janay Castine.  Janay, Janay, Janay.  Janay.  How many ways are there to say wretched?

Sarah Mather.  The hype over you came crashing in.  You are going to have to pull something very magical out next time to overcome this.  And quit bossing around the audience.  It's very annoying.

Mikalah Gordon.  And speaking of annoying...

Melinda Lira.  So they think you're a young Kelly Clarkson?  I think there is already a young Kelly Clarkson, and I think one Kelly is really all we need.  What was meant as a compliment might just slash your chances.

Aloha Mischeaux.  I thought you were entertaining Tuesday, primarily because you woke me from a ballad induced stupor.  But your flashiness and showmanship run the risk of turning off huge blocks of voters.  I hope you survive at least one more week, though.

Okay...time for predictions.

Who should go?  Travis and Jared.
Who will go?      Travis and Jared.

Who should go?   Janay and Mikalah.
Who will go?       Janay and Melinda.

Alright now.  I've shown you mine.  You show me yours.

early impressions (caution: spoilers)...

Six women into the show, and it's clear the women are going to outshine the men.  Of course, if I hear one more reference to them as "girls" I think I'm going to puke, but I fear I have a few more weeks of patronizing sexism ahead.  I will survive.

The women were better?  Yeah.  That's how bad the men were.

Here we go.

Terrific:

Carrie Underwood.  She's been one of my favorites since the beginning, and she didn't let me down.  Smooth vocals.  Emotion.  Nice song choice.  Everything a first round performance, which stores you credit in the bank, should be.

Nadia Turner.  I loved that she shunned the cocktail dress and went with comfort.  She is the individualist in this female group, and she neeeds to play that up for all it's worth.  Great use of the stage, beautiful vocals.  I love this woman.

Almost terrific.

Jessica Sierra.  I don't like "Against All Odds" and the judges don't as a rule.  (Ask George Huff.)  But she slowed it down a tad and, while I was sick of the ballads, proved why I chose her as a final six pick.

Aloha Mischeaux.  It's not fair that we've not been given the opportunity to get to know her, and she needs to shed the slutty clothing (not on air, though, please!), but her upbeat, audience-grabbing performance was such a great break from the ballads, she deserves more than an okay.

Okay.

Vonzell Solomon.  You were firmly in the ouch category, but there are no vacancies now.  Heatwave is an overused song in this show, and there are more songs out there.  It was safe, boring and quite forgettable, but you were, at least, in tune.

Sarah Mather.  Diana DeGarmo overdid the "C'mon everybody" crap.  I hated it then; I hate it now.  Stop it.  It's their feet.  If they don't wanna get up on them or clap or any of that crap you're commanding them to do, they don't hafta.  Stop it.  Now.  You caught crap for your vocals, but they weren't that bad.  But you can choose a better song.

Melinda Lira.  You would have been in the lower category had the others had better performances.  But here's my rule.  Don't sing Celine Dion, unless you're Celine Dion.  You can't do it.  I don't care who you are or how much confidence you have in yourself.  Don't do it.  Stop it.  Now.

Celena Rae.  What is your name, anyway?  I didn't like the song.  But you weren't off key that I could detect.  Actually, had there not been so many ladies in the ouch category, you would have been there.  Lucky you.

Lindsey Cardinale.  I've heard you sing, and you are not as bad as you were tonight.  Therefore, I'm cashing in on some of those chips you've been lucky enough to store with me.  Don't disappoint me.

Ouch.

Amanda Avila.  Why must everyone sing this dang song?  There are a few other songs out there.  Even ballads.  I am so sick of this song.  I don't care how you're going to live without him or her.  I don't care.  Don't sing this song again.  Ever.  Stop it.

Janay Castine.  What can I say about Janay.  Uhhh.  Ouch.  1-866-IDOLS-NOT HER.

Mikalah Gordon.  What is it with your need to be Fanny Brice?  I don't understand the judges accolades.  You were off-key.  The Brooklyn accent is old.  It's tired.  Calm down.  You do have personality.  You do have stage presence.  You do annoy.  Geesh.

There it is.  What are your impressions.  And who's gonna get drop-kicked to the curb?

it's ladies night...

Girl Happy...

Couldn't resist one more round of cheesy song titles.  Sorry.  I'll cut it out.

It's time for the women to take center stage, beginning their journey to follow in the steps of Kelly and Fantasia.  Only half of the field will get the opportunity, and trying to call this field is more difficult than trying to handicap the men.

But I'll try, nonetheless.

Six will become finalists and take on the gentlemen, as well as each other.  Six will tearfully return to the lives they once led.

Some of the women are going to fall victim to the same invisible-until-the-last-minute problem that plagues a few of the guys.  Aloha Mischeaux, for instance, is a very memorable presence.  And I don't remember her from any episode before the 24 show.  And who is Celena?  I don't think she knows either, considering her name keeps changing every three days.  And Melinda Lira might be the next Kelly, but we haven't had a chance to find out.

Many of the others have already developed active fan groups, so, just like with the men, unless one of the "newbies" pulls off a Fantasia, they're gone.  We will be seeing and hearing the last of Melinda, Celena or Aloha tonight.

Here's my final six.  Again, they're not necessarily who I want.  It's who I think will emerge.

Carrie Underwood.  Even Simon has gone on the record, predicting Carrie to be in the final four.  She's a pretty girl, fresh-faced from the farm with an innocence that will endear her to teen girls who want to be like her.  And boys who want to be with her.  She already has an impressive musical background.  If I were picking a female top five finalist, she would be it.

Lindsey Cardinale.  Probably the most elegant of the twelve, she has a unique stage presence and has seemed to be one of the producers' darlings and the judges' favorites.

We've just seen the surface of this girl.  Give her the stage and the backing, and I think she'll shine.

Nadia Turner.  A unique look.  A terrific voice.  Nadia is a package and will have broad appeal. 

I just hope she doesn't allow the stylists to transform her into Barbie, because a large part of her attractiveness is her individual spirit.  And that's what separates her from the pack.

Sarah Mather.  Like Carrie, Sarah has a wholesome, girl-next-door appeal, that will make her a favorite of the teen and pre-teen set, as well as the more mature voter.  And she has the voice and the stage presence to pull it off.

These four are the easy choices.  The next two come courtesy of a coin toss.

Mikalah Gordon.  Simon referred to her as the most confident 16-year-old he'd ever met.  And even if she isn't, and I wonder after seeing so many cracks in the facade during the last show, she sure can fake it well. 

Her downfall could be her enthusiasm.  A little bit of Mikalah can go a long way, and, while she may not have the pure vocal talent of the others, personality can carry a contestant far past talent in this game.  The trick is to prove you have both.

Jessica Sierra.  This could have just as easily been Vonzell Solomon or Amanda Avila.  But I'm going with Jessica, because, even though we didn't see much of her until the Hollywood episodes, she has the sparkle and the voice that can make a memorable impression.

And since there are no pink-haired ladies in the running, her red streaks are as close as we're going to come.  And we just must have a pink-haired contestant.  It's tradition!

There you have it.  My six picks.  Is my list anywhere close to yours?

it's a 60s spoiler...

But you had to click to get here.  This is a disclaimer.  I don't put anything here unless I have a relative certainty that the information is true.  But I am not promising anything.

The show was taped last night.  I have read several independent accounts of the show.  Most of them say it was FAB!  But, in every account, the song list is the same.

So, since you've trekked here, you want to know who's gonna sing what.  Here's what I know:



Bo is singing "Spinning Wheel" by Blood, Sweat & Tears

Constantine is singing "You've Made Me So Very Happy" by Blood, Sweat & Tears.

Anwar is singing "A House is Not a Home,"  written by Burt Bacharach.

Nikko is singing "I Want You Back" by the Jackson 5.

Vonzell is singing "Anyone Who Had a Heart," by Dionne Warwick.

Scott is singing "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" by the Temps.

Lindsey is singing "Knock On Wood" by various artists prior to the disco age.  (Don't ask me, I just write this stuff.)

Nadia is singing "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me" by, one assumes, Smokey and the Miracles.

Mikalah is singing "Son of a Preacher Man," by Dusty Springfield.

Anthony is singing "Breaking Up is Hard to Do," by the man himself, Neil Sedaka.  (Most indicate it's the slower version.)

Carrie is singing "When Will I Be Loved," by the Everly Brothers.

And Jessica's song?  Shop Around.

early impressions... (caution: spoilers)

Well, was that worth waiting for?

I'm not quite certain, but it was a typical first night of true competition.  Nerves, small audience, live cameras.  Whatever it is, it always seems as though the semi-finals bring out the worst in so many contestants.  It's one of the advantages to the new format of giving the kids (except for four, of course) three weeks to get their legs, rather than giving them a pass or a pink slip based on one performance.

First impressions without the advantage of watching it again:

Terrific

Bo Bice.  I agree with the judges.  It was the perfect song for you.  It's a great song, and you performed it quite nicely.

Anwar Robinson.  Moon River is a classic song, years away from the boy band songs, and you gave it a fresh twist. 

Almost terrific

Nikko Smith.  I agreed with Simon at first, that, while it was a good vocal performance, I would forget it three singers in.  Unfortunately, because the others were less than great, I didn't forget it.  But can we have a moratorium on Stevie Wonder songs next week, please?

Judd Harris.  I don't care what the judges say.  You exuded fun.  You are this year's JPL.  The only difference is that you have talent.

Mario Vazquez.  Stage presence like none of the others, but I wasn't quite as thrilled with the vocals as the judges were.  But, in light of the others, and in the immortal words of Mary Roach, not too shabby.

Okay

Scott Savol.  With all of the songs in the world, why you chose a ballad baffles me.  You're not a teen idol, so don't try to pretend like one.

Anthony Federov.  What was that song?  You're taking this Clay thing a bit too far.

Constantine Maroulis.  What was that song?  Bo beat you tonight, and you know and I know there's only going to be one rocker slot open.  But you had that crowd eating out of your hand.

Joseph Murena.  Another ballad, eh?  It's agreat song, and you gave it justice.  And it probably would have worked well in about three weeks.  But tonight it was just boring.  But not boring enough to merit your dismissal.  I want to hear more.

Ouch

Travis Tucker.  Travis, it's been less than an hour since you performed, and I can't remember what song you sang.  But I remember it bored me.  Ouch.

David Brown.  David, it was three-quarters through the song before you found the right key.  That was terrible.  Ouch.

Jared Yates.  What was that song.  Simon called your performance a ghastly boy band audition.  I agree.  Ouch.

here's the top twelve...

     

      

     

     

the boys are back...

Let's hear it for the boys...

Alright, enough of the cheesy song titles.  Let's get down to business.  Finally. 

Idol is premiering its new, let's-force-more-gender-equity policy tonight with the male half of the final 24 taking the stage.  The desire of the producers to insert more testosterone into the game is understandable after last year's estrogen-laden finals, but, as with any quota system, a more talented male might be booted in favor of a required female.  Or vice versa. 

But it's an experiment.  Let's see how it fares. 

The women (or girls as they insist upon calling them) will debut Tuesday, and on Wednesday we will shed a tear for four who will be drop-kicked to the curb and back to waitressing or sacking groceries.

But it's time for the men.  The problem at this stage of the game is that the producers, as we knew they would do, pulled several faces out of a magical hat on the final 24 show, faces (and voices) we've not been well-acquainted with.  That's the kiss of death often, unless you have a powerhouse voice that will knock people off their chairs.  (Remember LaToya?)

Others have been well documented, well followed and already have fan bases in place, ready to dial.  So, it's going to take, for both sexes, a considerably-more-than-adequate performance from the likes of Judd Harris, Joseph Murena and Jared Yates to avoid a first-round elimination.  And it's going to take an extraordinary effort for any one of these three to survive three weeks of drop-kicking.  I don't see that happening.

We're going to say goodbye to two of those three Wednesday, unless one or more can pull off a Clay/Ruben calibre performance.

It's a tough call to look at the twelve photos and try to predict which six of the twelve will stay and which will go.  But it's always fun to try, unless you're at Caesar's Palace and have a C-note in your hand.

Here's my final six prediction.  As always, it's not necessarily who I want.  It's who I think:

Anthony Federov.  This kid has an amazing back story, one which will touch the hearts of young and old voters alike.  And his cuteness will capture the teen/pre-teen voters, the ones with the dialing fingers which won't quit. 

He's being hyped as a Clay-wannabe, but he has the chops to pull it off. 

Anwar Robinson.  Who doesn't love a middle school music teacher?  And who wouldn't have loved to have ours look like him?  He is quiet.  He is confident but without ego.  He has the maturity to appeal to the older voters and the youthful good looks to appeal to the younger ones.

And he has hair to die for.  With a voice to match.

Constantine Maroulis.  We need a change of pace in the finals, and he's the one to give it.  And, while the voters will be given a choice between him and Bo Bice for the "rocker slot", Simon's emphatic non-support of Bice will tip the scales, because I do not see both of them going through.

Constantine is the more attractive of the two, both physically and personality-wise.  And his fan base is possibly the biggest of all of the contestants. (And I just learned to spell his name, so they have to keep him.)

David Brown.  What's not to like about this kid?  He's cute.  His voice is heavenly.  He's got a sparkling personality.  And he goes to church.  What's not to like?

He was one of the stars of the New Orleans auditions but hasn't been heard from much since then.  That may be his only downfall.  Butif his auditions are any indication, he will pull out the stops andignite some teenaged hearts along the way.

Mario Vazquez.  He's been the darling of the producers, who followed him along with his mom during the Hollywood episodes. 

He's cute.  He performs well.  He's confident.  He needs to keep that confidence in check, though, to avoid any more of the emergence of ego.  Voters don't like attitudes, and one hint of being too sexy for this show can result in an exit from it.  But his fan base is large.  And loud.

Scott Savol.  This was the toughest pick to make.  He in no way resembles an American Idol, but he has a voice like none of the others. 

His problem, aside from the style issues that are so important to the industry and the voters, is his personality.  He is different.  He is odd.  Some have called him mentally challenged.  But I think the voters will put that aside during the prelims and keep him around for the finals.

There you have it.  My picks.  Now we'll just watch to see if they can handle the pressure of true competition.

Tomorrow, I'll give you my female choices.

Who's on your final six list?

it's boys night out

The top 12 men.  Here they are.

   
Anthony Federov                Anwar Robinson                Bo Bice

     
Constantine Maroulis          David Brown -gone            Jared Yates - gone

     
Joseph Murena - gone             Judd Harris -gone                Mario Vazquez

   
Nikko Smith                        Scott Savol                      Travis Tucker