SIMULBLOG: in my little town...

We're gonna bid farewell to the stage we've come to love or loathe this season and anticipate the trip to the Kodak next week as we bid farewell to season four and anticipate the reign of the next Idol.

Gee.  Was that a pathetic paragraph or what?  Well I guess it's no more or less pathetic than Ryan's scolding, once again, that it's our fault one of the kids is getting pink slip tonight.  They want us to vote.  We vote.  Somebody doesn't get enough votes.  It's our fault for voting.  For the other guy.

Oh cut the crap Ryan.  I got my popcorn, I got my adult beverage.  I'm ready for the slaughter.  Bring on the condemned!  Let's get this show on the road.

We get to see Vonzell's trip home to Florida.  She hits the media circuit, then hits the Wal-Mart.  Ooo.  Prices are falling!  Then she goes postal, back to work, arriving in a limo longer than my block.  Gosh, I've dreamed to going back to an old job in that kind of style.  Wait.  I'd rather have the yacht the city has arranged for her.  I want to live in that city.  And the little boat takes her to a real big park where the population of Rhode Island is waiting to hear her sing and watch her receive the mysterious key that unlocks nothing. 

Obviously there will be no swan song tonight.  They're going to let all three of them repeat one of the performances from the previous evening.  (What a sneaky way to get around the "ran out of time" criticisms.)

Vonz sings Chain of Fools again, and is about a hundred times better than last night.  Isn't that always the case?  The pressure's off, the kids kick butt.

Time for the Ford commercial.  The Mod Squad is running from the paparazzi.  Oh okay, they're driving from them.  Those Ford spots are so much more fun when there are 10 of them running around doing silly things.

Time for Bo to go home to Sweet Home Alabama where he meets up with Lynyrd Skynyrd and Rick and Bubba.  Hey!  Diapers are on sale at Wal-Mart.  Bo gets the mysterious useless key and has to wipe his eyes.  Ah Bo.  Don't cry. 

Bo reprises the a cappella In A Dream to about the same crowd reaction as last night.  Personally, that's the kind of performance, like Fantasia's Summertime, that is showstopping once, but, if performed too often can become old.  I hope he locks that one away, with the mysterious key, to be kept as a magical Idol memory.

And speaking of memories, tomorrow is The World's Worst Audition Idol special.  That's another memory that should be locked away somewhere.  With the auditioners.

Time for Carrie to head home.  She gets to tape TV promos and answer strange questions from radio personalities.  Thousands of people are packing the two blocks of her town, just to hear her sing the national anthem and get that mysterious key.  This is the place where the mayor says facsimile!  I liked him.

Aww.  She gets to go home, and, for some bizarre reason, probably idiot Idol producers, she greets the humans before the four-leggers.  That's not the way we do it at my house.

Carrie performs Crying, probably in honor of Bo, and, as per usual, sounds even better than the night before.  Guess when you're not competing for votes, you're able to relax.  Hey Carrie -- next week convince yourself it's Wednesday.

Ryan tells us it's almost time for the hanging.  But we gotta suffer through 3 hours of commercials first.

That cute little Verizon wireless commercial with the teenaged girl make believing she has a phone was cute.  The first 236 times I saw it.

The bottom three is standing on the stage, as Ryan makes them step forward one at a time.  Bo looks relaxed, as does Vonzell.  Carrie looks as though she's about to face the firing squad.

Ryan breaks the news to the Vonz that she's not coming back as a competitor, but presents her with the Most Improved Performer award.  Big group hug ensues, with Ryan horning in. 

We get to see Vonzell's journey and Ryan takes us by surprise with a group sing at the tail end of the show.  Now that's a switch.  What a great song!  United We Stand.  And they give the three of them the full time to complete it.  Vonz graciously kisses and thanks the judges as Bo and Carrie allow her her goodbye moment.

You are terrific Vonzell.

Thanks.

Until next time....

Simulblog out!