Ryan started the night by asking, “Who do YOU want in the top 12? We could be in for a surprise or two…” Surprises usually mean that someone who we expected to stay, is out. Surprises on American Idol are usually bad.

Didi Benami was the first to get her results. She’d been pretty nervous through the weeks because she’d never performed in front of so many people before. Well it looks like she’s going to get a lot more practice because she made it. Randy’s advice to her was to be more consistent.

Siobhan Magnus was the next up. Simon had pegged her as the dark horse during Hollywood week. The definition of a dark horse is “a little-known person or thing that emerges to prominence”. I don’t know about Hollywood week but Siobhan has consistently kept me wanting more since the top 24 emerged. She isn’t emerging, for me she has already emerged. The good news is that I’m going to get to see more of her which makes me really happy. Ellen’s advice to Siobhan was to keep on doing exactly what she’s been doing.

Paige Miles and Katelyn Epperly were next up. Of the two, I couldn’t predict who’d be out. Simon said that Paige had the most potential of the two and sure enough, America agreed with Simon. Katelyn is out and Paige is in. Katelyn’s parting words were, “I’m not stopping now!”

Casey James was the first of the guys to get the news. No big surprise here, Casey made it in.

Tim Urban was up next. Usually the first two called don’t get booted and against all the odds, Tim Urban did indeed make it into the top 12. I’m guessing this was one of the surprises that Ryan hinted at before any results were given. What a happy surprise!

Lee Dewyze and Todrick Hall were called up next. One of the two would be outed. When asked which one should get the top spot, Randy thought that Lee had been the most consistent. America agreed and Lee made it. After the Queen song I actually hated to see Todrick go.

We were treated to a piano duet by two previous idols: Matt Giraud and Scott MacIntyre. Playing back to back pianos they sang Billy Joel’s song “Tell Her About It”.

Crystal Bowersox was called up next and for the first time during the entire competition, she looked worried. She’d always appeared so composed, almost as if it didn’t matter to her, seeing Crystal worried was a big surprise. The worry was short-lived as they gave the good news. Crystal is in. Simon said, “It’s yours to lose.” Crystal for me has been one of the most consistent singers, never failing to give a virtually flawless performance in a style that perfectly suits her.

No more just the guys or just the girls, Michael Lynche was next up for his news. Ryan asked if Big Mike thought he could fit onto one stool. Mike said yes and the stool was his. No surprise here, Mike made it.

For Lacey Brown this was her second shot at American Idol. If at first you don’t succeed, try again because you might be like Lacey, who secured the next spot in the top 12. I was surprised that both Didi and Lacey made it. I thought maybe one of the two had a chance but surely not both.

Aaron Kelly was up next. I just knew he’d be outed. I predicted as much after his last performance. Aaron grew up watching American Idol and now he gets to be one, because the next big surprise was that he made it.

That left Alex Lambert and Andrew Garcia for the last male slot. I guessed that it would be Andrew, who’d had so many bad weeks. Apparently the genie hadn’t come out of the bottle too late after all because much to my surprise, Andrew got in and Alex was out. I felt so badly for Alex. Try as he might he couldn’t stop the tears from flowing in front of millions of viewers. That’s gotta be hard on a guy. He believed that nervousness was his downfall and he was probably right.

By then both Siobhan and Lilly were in tears. Siobhan cried for those who hadn’t made it and Lilly just cried. Her fate was still hanging over her. The only two left were Lilly Scott and Katie Stevens. Katie had been looking like a deer caught in the headlights for most of the results, as if she knew she was out. By the time everyone else had been given the word, Lilly’s head was hung low as if she knew the bomb was going to be dropped on her. Katie appeared a little more confident standing next to Lilly.

The results were given and my immediate reaction was to let loose a four letter word. This must have been the final surprise that Ryan hinted at. My darling Lilly was out and the only girl who I was hoping wouldn’t make it, took Lilly’s spot. Lilly who always made me smile was gone. The only other idol who made me smile with every song was George Huff, of Season 3.

Lilly was devastated. I wish she’d shown more of her heart through the weeks as maybe it would have helped her. She and Crystal always seemed so closed emotionally. I don’t think Lilly expected to be voted out just yet. She said, “I don’t know what America wants to hear, but I know there are definitely people who want to jam with me.” Yes Lilly, there are. And we will miss you terribly!

It was a very emotional night. Even Crystal cried at the end when Lilly got outed. Katie cried though I imagine it was more for relief. Tears flowed everywhere and so did the hugs. For those who made it, the Rolling Stones will be the first theme to tackle. Welcome to American Idol’s top 12! Didi, Siobhan, Crystal, Lacey, Paige and Katie. Casey, Tim, Lee, Mike, Aaron and Andrew.

Tags: aaron, aaron kelly, alex lambert, american idol, andrew, andrew garcia, benami, bowersox, brown, casey, casey james, cowell, crystal bowersox, degeneres, dewyze, didi benami, ellen, ellen degeneres, epperly, kara dioguardi, katelyn epperly, katie stevens, lacey brown, lambert, lee dewyze, lilly scott, lynche, magnus, michael lynche, miles, paige miles, ryan, ryan seacrest, scott, seacrest, season 9, simon, simon cowell, siobhan magnus, stevens, tim urban, todrick, todrick hall, urban

Category: American Idol 2010

Tonight was the last chance for the dudes to make it into American Idol’s top 12 for 2010. The show started with a dialog about Simon being away from his fiancee and Ryan said that Kara was Simon’s binky. Simon clearly had no idea what a binky was and whispered to Kara for clarification. Even after she told him, he didn’t quite get it but I’m sure he won’t live it down for the rest of the season. They finally gave up the binky to let the guys sing. Here’s the lowdown for the top 8 guys.

Lee Dewyze

Lee sang the Owl City song “Fireflies”. It wasn’t my favorite of his performances though he sang it quite well. For me it was forgettable. Randy thought it was a “strange song choice” but that Lee made it work. Both Ellen and Randy thought it had pitch problems while Kara offered much higher praises, stating that he’d “made it a better song”. Simon thought it was nothing to rave about and that Lee was better than that version of the song. Simon did predict, however, that Lee would make it into the top 12. I agree. Not only do I hope to see him there, I expect to see him there.

Alex Lambert

Alex has made incredible progress through the weeks and showed so much more confidence. Alex is finally starting to shine through. His soulful rendition of Ray LaMontagne’s “Trouble” ended with a standing ovation. Randy wasn’t wowed but thought it was a good song choice. Ellen thought that he was ripening into a “mushy banana”. Ellen said he was getting better every week but warned him not to become a “cocky banana”. Kara told him to let go. She told him that “the only person standing between you and winning is YOU.” Simon also told him to relax and let go and said he had a distinct voice.

I had not experienced Ellen prior to American Idol so initially I had no idea what to expect from her. I wasn’t thrilled for the newest judge to be devoid of a musical background. It didn’t seem right. However, Ellen has totally worked her way into my heart and I look forward to her strange comments and quirky personality. She’s definitely a ripe banana in my book.

Tim Urban

Tim Urban was an unexpected surprise with the song Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen. Being the underdog who slid into the finals with the outing of Chris Golightly, Tim had a lot to prove. He didn’t wow the judges in the first weeks or demonstrate why he’d made it to Hollywood. For the first time with Hallelujah, Tim showed sparks of what the judges had seen initially. This was his best performance by a mile and he sang it with feeling as it should be sung. Randy said he was walking in some pretty big shoes but that he’d done a good job. Ellen ran out onto the stage and hugged him, apologizing for being so hard on him in previous weeks. Kara had originally predicted he’d quickly be sent home but that this song put him at the “top of the boys”. Simon took full responsibility for Tim’s progress, saying that his criticisms were what motivated Tim to improve. Simon thought he was “very, very smart with that song” and that it was by far the strongest performance he’d given. I agree. He might surprise us by sliding into the top 12. I wasn’t a fan initially but I think it would be interesting to watch him progress.

Andrew Garcia

Andrew tried to recreate his earlier magic from “Straight Up”, this time with the Christina Aguilera song “Genie in a Bottle”. The interesting thing about Andrew is that his best songs are girl songs, first by Paula Abdul and now with Christina. Girl songs seem to work best for him. He added a Spanish flair to the song and I loved it even though it was a little pitchy here and there. This is the zone he needs to stay in. The judges weren’t as enthused as I was. Randy said that Andrew made the whole song feel like it only had three notes. Ellen thought it was a great song choice but that the genie had come out of the bottle too late. Kara said he’d been chasing after that moment ever since the Paula song and never quite got there again. Simon thought it was “a little bit desperate” and that Andrew was going backwards.

Casey James

Casey sang the Keith Urban song “You’ll Think of Me”. I felt like I was listening to someone who was already there, already successful. There was no singing competition, just Casey singing us a song as if he’d always been singing. I’m glad he reconnected with his happy place because I’d hate to see him leave. Randy thought the song choice was too safe and that he should have chosen an edgier song. Ellen really liked it. Kara was “kinda back on the Casey train” but thought he was missing that spark. She did add that it was a move in the right direction. Simon thought it was his second best performance so far but like Randy, he wished Casey would have chosen a different song.

Aaron Kelly

Aaron totally lost my vote with his rendition of “I’m Already There” by Lonestar. I cringed almost all the way through it. If I had to choose between Aaron and Tim, I’d go with Tim as it’s refreshing to watch his progress after such a rough start. I’m really happy to see Tim grow every week. While I wouldn’t vote for Tim to win the whole enchilada, I’d like to see him stick around just to watch him prove Simon wrong as to his worthiness. As for Aaron, he probably slammed the door on his chances for the top 12. From the beginning I’ve felt that Aaron, Alex and Tim were the weakest of the guys battling each other for last place. I think Aaron won the last place slot. Randy offered a more positive outlook with “job well done” but said that Aaron still had more work to do. Ellen started with “I love you!” and ended by saying it was too much song for him. They were really throwing the L-word around for Aaron because Kara started with “I love you” as well, but told him that the song was all wrong for him. She said this was a song about a man wanting to come home to his kids, and that for someone so young to sing it, someone who wasn’t a father, it just felt all wrong for her. Simon admonished Kara that it didn’t matter if someone sang a song their life didn’t mirror and said the judges shouldn’t be confusing the contestants with this type of comment. Simon thought it was the right type of song and it was obvious that Aaron was trying hard, but it just wasn’t a good vocal. I vote him out and I’m betting that America will, too.

Todrick Hall

Todrick took on the Queen song “Somebody to Love”. All throughout the competition I wanted him out for the business issues surrounding him prior to American Idol. It just didn’t feel right for someone who left a wake of angry folks to go forward and succeed. He does, however, show talent and he really showed his range with this song. Todrick added a strong dose of gospel to the song and it was a good mix. I didn’t want to like it but I couldn’t help myself, he nailed it and I liked it. Randy thought it was one of the best male vocals of the last couple weeks and said that “Todrick is back!” Ellen agreed with me that adding the gospel worked. Kara called it dramatic like Godspell. Simon wasn’t impressed. He said that Todrick showed who he really was, just another Broadway singer. He commented on the boring songs sung by contestants sitting on stools (Andrew, Casey) and said the song may have saved Todrick.

Michael Lynche

Big Mike dropped a peg this week with the song “This Woman’s Work” by Kate Bush. Clearly the song was in honor of his wife and full of his love for her but for me, it was too sleepy. He started and ended in falsetto which were the good parts, and ended with the words “make it go away”. I agreed. I was bored and wanted the song to go away. The judges must have heard a different song because Randy thought it was hot and Ellen felt like the show had just begun and that Mike was the “one to beat”. The song brought Kara to tears. She had a hard time regaining her composure and leaned against Simon who was happy to offer his shoulder. Simon called it an incredibly difficult song, said that Mike had nailed it and that it was by far the best performance of all the live shows. No way! The girls hold those top spots as far as I’m concerned and the guys are just runners up right now.

I believe that Aaron and Alex will get the big brush off and not make it into the top 12. Andrew is dicey and has been on shaky ground through most of the competition. It was up to the genie to save him.

Tags: aaron, aaron kelly, alex lambert, american idol, andrew, andrew garcia, casey, casey james, dewyze, lambert, lee dewyze, lynche, michael lynche, season 9, tim urban, todrick, todrick hall, urban

Category: American Idol 2010

The results are in. Of the girls, Haeley Vaughn and Michelle Delamor were voted off. Of the guys, it was John Park and Jermaine Sellers.

I’m okay with the choice except for Jermaine. There were at least two other guys who should have been the ones to go. It wasn’t his time but America voted and disagreed with me. Was it the onesie? At least he was gracious in his goodbye leaving the world on a positive note. His parting words were, “With God there is no failure.”

As for Michelle, I’ll be surprised if doors don’t open for her. If not for her singing, surely her incredible smile will open up doors. If not, she can count on the promise made by Maria in The Sound of Music: “When the Lord closes a door, somewhere he opens a window.”

Didi appeared to be in shock that she wasn’t voted off. Not quite as vividly surprised as Tim Urban had been last week. It was almost worth keeping him in to see the absolute, utter shock on his face. However, he is one of the weakest guys so he’ll need to fight a lot harder if he wants to stay.

I was happy that Big Mike, Casey, Lee and Andrew will stick around. Andrew really needs to pick up his game, though. I’m totally with the judges. He wowed me with his rendition of the Paula Abdul song “Straight Up” and I keep waiting for him to wow me again, but so far he’s left me hanging. Without the memory of that song, he hasn’t offered much.

My biggest beef was Simon’s comment that after watching the show, the compliment he’d given to one of the girls wasn’t deserved. He wouldn’t say who. While on the surface that might seem honorable not to point the finger, it was a really rotten thing to say. He left every single girl who’d gotten a compliment wondering if she was the one who didn’t deserve it. All the compliments given were thus diluted. He should have either pointed the finger or kept it shut.

Who am I hoping makes it into the top 12? Casey, Andrew, Big Mike, Lee, Aaron, and not Todrick, whose bad press really turned me off. For the girls it would be Crystal, Lilly, Siobhan, Didi, Paige and the last is a toss up between Katelyn and Lacey. Katelyn has shown stronger talent so far but I keep thinking Lacey has it and is just too nervous to let it out.

Tags: aaron kelly, alex lambert, american idol, andrew garcia, benami, bowersox, casey james, crystal bowersox, delamor, dewyze, didi benami, epperly, haeley vaughn, jermaine sellers, john park, katelyn epperly, katie stevens, lacey brown, lambert, lee dewyze, lilly scott, magnus, michael lynche, michelle delamor, paige miles, season 9, siobhan magnus, tim urban, todrick, todrick hall

Category: American Idol 2010