I’m sure dragging out the announcements stresses out the American Idol contestants and the producers seem to be trying to make things a little less predictable in mixing up the way they announce the bottom contestants. But to me it feels like they are just trying to fill up space. My question is why they don’t just make the announcement evening show 30 minutes long rather than trying to fill an hour… but I suppose that would not allow them to bring back former contestants to promote their albums. And speculations have been made during the past couple of weeks about host Ryan Seacrest – bloggers have commented on his seeming strangeness and awkward moments. He claims it is just fatigue, but I have to say the past couple of weeks it’s been really obvious that he is not at the top of his game. He has made the most inappropriate comments and I hope he gets back to being a little less “informal” in his hosting.

The shocker tonight was that Ryan didn’t drag out the announcement that Andrew Garcia was eliminated during the first 15 minutes of the show. With Andrew’s farewell, it was revealed that both Casey James and Aaron Kelly were safe and would be continuing on in the competition.

Former American Idol contestant Brooke White and TV star, Justin Gaston, sang a duet on the show. I’m not sure how they came up with the pairing but it didn’t really blend very well for me – strange combination of voices. But it was nice to see Brooke back on the Idol stage. I actually had to fast forward the performance, so maybe it got better but I couldn’t sit through it.

As the show continued, Ryan sent Crystal Bowersox to safety, followed by Siobhan Magnus, then he tortured Lee DeWyze by telling him that Chris Daughtry performed the same song the week he was eliminated…  before pulling him away from the other contestants and then finally announcing Lee was safe. This left the bottom three contestants as Michael Lynche, Tim Urban, and Katie Stevens. But of course, in true American Idol form, they made the contestants continue to wait through a break and performance by Adam Lambert.

I actually like Adam’s song “What Do You Want From Me” on the radio, but he’s just so over the top in everything he does I simply cannot watch him – just icky – sorry to all you Adam fans – and please don’t write hate comments. It’s just my opinion.

Sending Tim Urban to safety, Ryan left Michael Lynche and Katie Stevens as the remaining contestants – but he did make the announcement that one of the remaining was not even in the bottom 3 this week – which brought a huge sigh of relief to me as Michael Lynche was sent to safety and Katie Stevens was eliminated.

I think America got it right this week… what do you think?

Two American Idol hopefuls will be eliminated tonight and based on performances last night I predict it will be Andrew Garcia and Aaron Kelly. But I also think Siobhan Magnus and Katie Stevens could be at risk. With Michael Lynche in the bottom last week – it’s very difficult to predict the “unpredictable” outcomes this season.

Crystal Bowersox did an amazing job and I thought it was her best performance to date – the electric guitar seemed to bring out a bit more energy and fun in her personality.

But I think the winner from last night for me was Lee DeWyze. His performance was amazing, full of energy and he even smiled. As he gets more comfortable on stage and in front of the cameras, he gets better and better. I loved his performance of “A Little Less Conversation”. Adam Lambert gave Lee good advice about smiling and using more expression as he performed.

Andrew Garcia‘s rendition of “Hound Dog” was hard to watch – he tried to make it his own, but it’s such a huge song it completely paled in comparison to the original. If it was a song we were not familiar with and heard him sing it – I think it would have been fine. But as it was, I’m afraid he didn’t do it justice.

Tim Urban‘s version of “I Can’t Help Falling In Love” was applauded by the judges, but I didn’t get it. I felt like I was politely listening to a friend’s son or neighbor. Perhaps loads of teenage or pre-teen girls will pick up the phone to vote for Tim – but I truly don’t think he’s ready to be launching his recording career yet.

Aaron Kelly has grown a lot through the competition and he has a good voice. I think he’s still young and his attempt at “Blue Suede Shoes” was okay but I felt as though it were a high school performance. Simon agreed and even with his fan base, I think Aaron is at risk tonight.

Siobhan Magnus… ah.. Siobhan what can I say? I have liked Siobhan from the beginning… but as other contestants have seemed to improve and grow on me more, Siobhan truly does seem to be floundering a bit. Simon commented that she didn’t seem to know who she was – and I liked her comment that she doesn’t really classify or label herself – she just loves to sing. It was a good answer and could potentially get her votes, but her performance from last night was a bit cheesy and felt a bit like a cruise line performance. I don’t know why people keep using the “coming down the stairs” as part of their performance – it just doesn’t work unless you “own” it or have tons of experience. So, even though I like Siobhan, I’m afraid she may be at risk tonight.

Michael Lynche – again he’s still one of my favorites and I love his voice. He sang “In The Ghetto” and it was tender and beautiful. I’m not sure it will get the young fans to pick up the phone. I was hoping he would have performed something to get the crowd to leap to their feet and make calls for him – but it was truly another beautiful performance. He’s just amazingly talented.

Katie Stevens. Katie seems to have a growing fan base – likely because she’s cute and young. It felt to me as though she was trying too hard but the judges seemed to like her performance – except for Simon (and me). I wouldn’t mind if she was one to go tonight though. I just think some of the others are further along.

Casey James – he always does a good job and he seems to make songs his own no matter what he is performing. I can’t say I remember much of the performance and it didn’t make me go “Wow!” but it was good. Simon commented that he felt it was a “wasted opportunity and a completely forgettable song” but the vocals were good. Actually that about sums it up for me too.

I’m not looking forward to anyone going home tonight – but think it would be completely wrong if Lee DeWyze, Crystal Bowersox, and Casey James are not the top 3 this season. I’d like Michael Lynche to be in the Top 4.

Who would be your top 3 this year?

Well… so obviously now I know that one of my favorite contestants was in the bottom three (gasp), and he/she was saved by the judges. It takes all the fun out of watching and being shocked… but I suppose I’ll watch now and be happy that I know who isn’t going home.

More to come … (after I’ve seen it for myself…)

Okay… I’m back and completely shocked by the bottom 2 contestants. I have to believe that the voters are skewed to the young pre-teen/teen fan base. Crazy.

But I’m very happy that all our favorites will be back again for another week.

Spoiler for those who haven’t heard…

Our bottom 3 this week included Michael Lynche, Andrew Garcia, and Aaron Kelly. Aaron was sent back to safety which left us with Michael and Andrew – neither of whom deserved to go home. When Michael was announced as the contestant at risk – shock ran through the whole studio. He sang “A Woman’s Work” beautifully… I mean… how could the judges NOT save him after a song like that? He’s truly amazingly talented and I hope all of the rest of his fans will pick up the phone next week.

I obviously loved hearing from David Archuleta again. His performance of “Imagine” was so pure, heartfelt and wonderful – I miss hearing him each week but was happy to hear that he’s got another album coming out soon.

And one side note comment: how in the world do artists fit into some of their outfits? Rihanna‘s skin tight, painted-on, black vinyl type outfit – I mean, how would someone even get into something like that? Wow. Of course, if I had a body like hers maybe I’d try to figure it out… (LOL).

Actually I think there are 4 really strong front runners including: Michael Lynche, Crystal Bowersox, Casey James and Lee DeWyze.

Tonight’s performances were really good and most contestants seem to be growing and improving. However a few struggled. If I were to base only on tonight – Aaron Kelly or Siobhan Magnus would be going home – as the other’s seemed to be stronger. But both have big fan bases, so I’m not sure either are at risk. However, the song Siobhan selected (“Across the Universe”) was slow and very unlike her previous songs, and I’m not certain that song would get people to pick up the phone for her. I actually won’t be completely surprised if she’s in the bottom three based on tonight’s performance. She’s a darling girl and I’m a fan, but with so many stronger performances, it’s hard to call at this point.

I still think Katie Steven and Tim Urban are at risk of going home and I’ll be surprised if they are not in the bottom three. They just are not as seasoned as some of the other contestants on American Idol.

American Idol: Stand-out Performances

I loved Andrew Garcia‘s version of “Can’t Buy Me Love” – although the judges said it was a bit corny, I loved the twist he gave it, he had fun and his voice sounded great. I thought his personality shown through a bit more than in the past and he had fun.

Michael Lynche “Eleanor Rigby”. I just love him and think even if he doesn’t win the competition, he’ll get signed and have a great and successful career. He’s so polished and his voice is so silky smooth and easy to listen to – love the twinkle in his eyes and the crowd goes wild for him. Simon commented that the performance was a bit “musical – theatrical” and now he’s confused as to what kind of artist Michael Lynche would be – I can see Simon’s point – but Kara and Randy both felt his performance was current and relevant – and I agree with them as well.

Crystal Bowersox – that girl is so talented and it’s fun to hear her take on different songs. Her performance of “Come Together” was amazing (even though it was difficult to understand the words)… I love that she is so true to who she is and makes each song her own.

Casey James’ version of “Jealous Guy” was different than he’s done before – it was tender, vulnerable and showcased a bit more emotion from him. I liked it (but didn’t love some of the vibrato) – but it was completely his style and I could imagine hearing it on the radio right now with him singing it. The judges gushed about it and Simon even said it was the best performance of the night. I’m not sure I would go that far, but I did like it.

Lee DeWyze “Hey Jude”. One of my favorite songs, and Lee did a great job (even though it started a bit shaky). I was a bit surprised with the bagpipes coming in and thought that was a bit fun (I love the bagpipes). The judges thought that was over the top and strange, but they didn’t hammer the point as they seemed to like the performance anyway. Lee is getting more confident and I just love his voice (as if I haven’t said that before). I can’t wait for him to get comfortable with his talent and really let go of the stresses – so we can see what he could really do if he completely believed in himself.

Tim Urban actually did the best he’s ever done (in my opinion). The song “All My Lovin’” was a bit repetitive and I was glad when it was over, but his vocals were the best I’ve heard him. I still call it that he could be a teen idol on Disney or Glee or something. (Casting agents take note…)

Katie Stevens is such cute and the judges loved her version of “Let it Be”. Her voice is not as easy for me to listen to as some of the others, and I thought she did a good job, but it wasn’t my favorite.

Aaron Kelly – “Yoda” as the other contestants call him – he has a huge fan base and even though his “Long Winding Road” struggled to move forward and felt quite shaky, his fans are likely to pull him through to another week.

So if I had to put money on it, I’d say either Tim Urban or Katie Stevens will be going home (Likely Tim Urban), but we could see some surprises.

I’m super excited for tomorrow and Utah’s own David Archuleta — to perform tomorrow night on American Idol. It will be fun to see how much he’s grown – but also I absolutely cannot get enough of his voice and talent. He is simply amazing and I love his music and the fact that he’s so humble.

Anyone else want to guess about who is going home?

Which American Idol contestants do you want to hear on the radio?

Kara mentioned to Casey that he did a great job, but she wanted more and for him to “show it all” (obviously meaning to showcase his vocal range more) – but Ryan made it extremely awkward by pointing out that Kara wasn’t meaning for him to “show it all” as indicated by her comments in the past. Ugh. Kara burst out “Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me?” and you could feel the tension. I think network officials should give a reminder that those comments are not only inappropriate and make the contestants feel uncomfortable, but also make audience members feel awkward – can you say “sexual harassment”? Poor Casey – he doesn’t really respond but it’s obvious to everyone that he’s wishing the focus was on his music. I think they are heading towards a lawsuit if they don’t knock it off.

Of course it could be much worse, and I’m not personally “offended” – but it is inappropriate behavior and with so many young and impressionable fans – should be stopped.

On to my reviews for the performances…

I loved that Usher was the mentor for this week – he not only gave great feedback and actual mentoring to contestants – he showed why he’s a superstar – genuine and connecting with the music as well as the audience. I love his personality – not a huge fan of his style of music – but he seems very nice as a person.

Siobhan Magnus seemed to struggle with her performance. I felt bad for her as the judges were very critical. Simon even called her performance “manslaughter”. That is harsh criticism. I like her and think she’s very talented, but she was not up to par tonight.

Casey James actually did a great job. His song choice fit his voice perfectly and he looked like he was having fun. I felt as though I was at a concert rather than watching an audition.

I love Michael Lynche. His voice is smooth and velvety and its always a pleasure to listen to him sing.

Didi Benami is at risk in my opinion. I felt bad for her that she followed the incredible Michael Lynche whose voice tone is so pleasing. The comparison was not kind to Didi – as her song choice wasn’t great and she seemed to falter a bit. The judges even commented that it kind of “flatlined” and she “lost her way.”

Tim Urban … what can I say? Judges were harsh and the criticism was well-deserved, but Tim took it all in stride with his smiles and even a bit of laughter. When it came time for Simon to judge his performance, he said, “It doesn’t matter what we say. It’s like a mouse taking on an elephant – you’re not going to win – but you’ll keep on smiling and people will vote for you… and we’ll see you next week… good job.” It was actually quite funny and perhaps a true – but it’s apparent that Tim should be pursuing a career where he can be adored by screaming young girls and not perhaps be focused on singing.

Andrew Garcia is back! He got some great advice from Usher about connecting to the audience – and he followed through. His performance was amazing and he showed us why we liked him so much in Hollywood. Andrew has been redeemed.

Katie Stevens. She is a cute girl – but I still felt that she hasn’t quite found her niche. The song was too big, or too old, or she didn’t have enough soul to be singing it. Something was just not quite “there” for me. Even though she did a pretty good job, I think she’s at risk this week.

Lee DeWyze – absolutely and completely my favorite performance of the whole night. I loved Usher’s counsel to Lee that he needs to believe in himself and realize that he deserves to be there. I love his voice and loved his song choice. Everything was awesome – I just wish I could buy the song right now – but have to wait a few days for it to be available. (Note: I went on iTunes to see if I could download the song – and discovered that Lee already has a couple of older albums out — pretty cool — so now I can listen to his older music while I wait for him to win “hopefully” and release a new album.)

Crystal Bowersox – Crystal’s big surprise was that she put away her guitar… and instead played the piano. She did a great job – but I don’t think it truly did the job it was supposed to – to get her to connect with the audience without something in the way… this week instead of the guitar in the way, she was now behind a huge piano – again with her eyes closed for most of the song. But she did get up and stand as well and that went pretty well – but it was apparent she was not as comfortable as she typically was when she had her guitar. She said she was comfortable, but I didn’t get that vibe. Nonetheless, she did a great job as always.

Aaron Kelly. Usually producers save the best performances for last – to end the competition on a high note. And after hearing Aaron Kelly’s rehearsal session with Usher, I had great hopes and high expectations. I was truly expecting him to shine, but was a bit disappointed as his voice felt tight and he didn’t really shine. I think he had the potential but either he was nervous or just having an off night.

Lee DeWyze, Michael Lynche, and Crystal Bowersox were the highlights for me tonight. Casey James, and Andrew Garcia also did great…

I think Didi Benami, Tim Urban, or Katie Stevens will be going home. Who do you think will be leaving?

My take tonight was a bit similar to the judges – I’m wondering where huge talent is  this season. Many are still struggling with determining who they are or who they want to be as an artist. Many are also in need of experience and refining. Some have truly improved, and a few have seemed like stars from the beginning – but there is something strange about this season of American Idol. Maybe Paula Abdul’s absence is having more effect than anticipated … perhaps Paula’s input during auditions and Hollywood has been more vital than we imagined… or maybe her cheering on the contestants brought out the best in them…

Anyway, I’m predicting the top 5 contestants: Michael Lynche, Lee DeWyze, Crystal Bowersox, Casey James, and Siobhan Mangus.

Michael Lynche is already a star to me – I think his performance could have been showcased at the Grammys – he just feels polished.

Crystal Bowersox is amazingly talented. I do agree with Ellen that I hope she can break down whatever barrier is between her and the audience – so we get some connection. That’s the only thing that will hurt her at this point – is distance from fans. She was the best of the night and in a completely different class than some of the others.

Siobhan Mangus – that girl can sing. I love her uniqueness. She is certainly different and I think she could pull off a win if she continues to do well.

Of course Lee DeWyze has the coolest voice of them all. I love the tone and grit in his voice. He does need more experience in performing and song selection – and determining exactly who he is going to be as an artist (I picture Snow Patrol, Daughtry, David Cook type stuff for him).

Casey James – again he’s really talented and I like that he seems confident when he performs. I could easily see him making an album and doing well. Tonight he wasn’t really original in his song but I enjoyed it anyway.

As for who is going home: Please let it be Paige Miles. She’s just out of her league with the others and hasn’t seemed to improve at all – tonight was just painful for all of us. Katie Stevens is improving in her song choice but didn’t blow me away. Andrew Garcia didn’t really have a wow moment and I’m afraid his early fans will jump ship and vote for some of the other contestants who are shining more. Aaron Kelly is getting better. His young tweeny boppers will certainly keep voting for him, even though I thought the song was too big for him. And Tim Urban could do a duet with Miley Cyrus at some point in the future if he can gain the experience he needs so desperately. Didi Benami did pretty good but I find myself tuning out when she performs.

It must be frustrating for the judges this season of American Idol … and they say it week after week… where are the contestants truly FIGHTING for the title? Where is the PASSION? Where is the INTENSITY?

I’m just saying…

I just had a comment on a previous post that the contestants seem to lack diversity. As they introduced the contestants… actually it was a bit skewed to 9 white contestants, 2 black contestants, and 1 Latino. I did think that the talent was skewed to a “vanilla” flavor – but I meant that many seemed to lack a strong identity and a lot of the contestants seemed to sound the same. But this observation from one of my readers, brings up a question…

Do you think there is a lack of diversity on American Idol?

In my opinion from season’s past this hasn’t seemed to be an issue – and I likely would not have noticed it if not for my reader’s comment.

I wonder if Kris Allen’s win last season brought out more of the singer/songwriter contestants or if producers leaned towards that style after seeing Kris’ fan base as buyers of music. Hmmm.. something to consider.

Anyway… on to my critiques for American Idol’s Top 12.

Michael Lynch “Big Mike: I love Michael. My problem tonight is that they are having the contestants perform The Rolling Stones. I mean, unless they completely alter the song to fit their own style and voice – it’s a huge challenge. I don’t really like The Rolling Stones anyway – but comparing a regular performance with the original – really and truly – no one can do it like Mick Jagger. However, Mike did a pretty good job and his personality is simply adorable. I think he’ll get really far in the competition – top 3 for sure.

Didi Benami: I like Didi and she has a cool voice. She did a good job and certainly sings well. I wouldn’t buy an album as it feels that most of her music seems quite the same each week. She’s a cute girl but I don’t think she’ll be around much longer as she doesn’t stand out as a star yet.

Casey James: I like that Casey is a country guy and I hope he stays true to that side of him – even in making a rock song change into a country tune. He actually did a great job – reminded me a bit of some Travis Tritt songs – country with an edge. He’s got the country fan vote and for sure will be around for a while. The thing I liked the most was that the song and performance felt like a Casey James song – rather than something from The Rolling Stones.

Lacey Brown: Boy she was a darling kid. Loved her family and the comment from her dad that she was really shy as a child – but heard someone say: “If you remain shy, you’ll miss your destiny.” Love that quote and the thought behind it. I wanted so much to like her performance but it was just not good. Kind of whiny, pitchy and boring for me. (I’m not sure what the judges were hearing.) It’s sad because I like her personality. But I think she’s at risk to going home this week.

Andrew Garcia: I loved Andrew’s dad – so sweet – you can tell he really cares about his son. It shows that even without money and the advantages of the world – if you are determined, you can do great things. I thought Andrew’s performance was pretty good – it just didn’t fit his personal style very much. I wish he had changed up the song a bit more. But as he’s done that in the past and the judges have told him to not change it up too much – I think he’s likely trying not to change things as much as he has in the past. It’s a hard spot to be in for him – to find that balance. I hope he sticks around because he has a lot of talent.

Katie Stevens: Oh boy, I still can’t believe she stayed and Lilly Scott went home last week. She’s darling but should be going home this week. She just needs more experience, more polish and a definition of what kind of artist she’s going to be. Again… she’s a cute girl… just out of her league, in my opinion.

Tim Urban: Wow – a family with 10 kids. That’s awesome! I could completely see him as the next Disney teen idol (if he could act even a little bit) – but not the next American Idol. He’s adorable and will appeal to the younger girls. The song he performed was okay but forgettable – I did like that he made it different and didn’t try to be one of The Rolling Stones – but it just didn’t blow me away. I can’t call it if he’s going home – because you never quite know what the voting crowd is going to do. But I think he probably should be going home as some of the other guys are much stronger than he is right now. I’d love to see him combine his singing with acting … Disney… are you listening?

Siobhan Magnus: I have to say I was really looking forward to hearing what Siobhan would do with The Rolling Stones. I’m sad to say I was very disappointed with the song choice and performance. It just didn’t showcase her style or her range until the very end – and then reminded me a bit of Adam Lambert’s high notes. Didn’t like it at all. Apparently I was all alone in not liking it – as the judges gushed about everything and said she was the standout performance of the night. Obviously I love her voice and think she sang well – and is unique – but I just didn’t like the song choice. Top 3 and likely could win.

Lee DeWyze: His voice is my favorite of all of the contestants. Even if he doesn’t win the overall competition, I think he’ll have a great career. I absolutely love the quality, tone and raspy coolness of his voice. Can’t wait for his album to come out. The thing I liked about his performance tonight was that he totally made the song his own – it didn’t feel like a Rolling Stones knockoff – he stayed true to his own style. I think his tone was the best he has done – as in past weeks he’s struggled with pitch issues – but it was great this week.

Paige Miles: Paige has a great voice. I just don’t see her as a star yet. I think she’s at risk for going home – and I was actually surprised she stayed around from last week. I did like that there was a little bit of a country twist on the song and she did a good job. I’m not sure her personality has stood out as much as some of the other girls.

Aaron Kelly: He looked so cute with his cowboy hat on as a kid – it kind of made me wonder if he could put a country twist on some of his songs – if that would do well… any thoughts? I did like what he did this week with hair – spiking it out — it made him seem a bit more put together and not quite so young – well done! He could be another teen idol – just like Tim Urban. I don’t see him as a big competitor for American Idol. I think he did the best he’s done in the competition so far tonight.

Crystal Bowersox: That girl can sing. I love that she can make a Rolling Stone song seem like it’s completely her own. She’s extremely talented and I think is a contender for the title. I’m still looking for a little more connection from her – to the audience. Even though she’s amazing… I feel a lack in emotion or genuine expression from her. Her performance was great. I was glad that the judges mentioned that she seemed to feel “too comfortable” and there was a lack of personality – hopefully she’ll show more of herself to connect the fans and not come off as cocky.

So after all is said and done … I don’t really care who gets eliminated as long as it’s not Lee DeWyze, Michael Lynch, or Siobhan Magnus. I will however be surprised if Casey James or Crystal Bowersox get eliminated.

Who do you think should stay or go this week?

After the performances last night from the American Idol guys, do you think your favorite is safe?

This season I have felt the guys have been stronger overall than the girls.

I love Lee Dewyze. His voice is so cool and has lots of soul. He had some pitch issues last night, but I still like him a lot. I agreed with Simon that he was better than the song last night. I could easily see him making an awesome album and it would be one I would buy – since his voice is so distinct it would be easy to have him stand out from others.

Alex Lambert. I actually like his voice and love that the guys all seem to have such different sounds. It’s been fun to see his confidence levels go up each week. He’s a cute kid and I think he could make a pretty good album – but I’m not sure he’s a contender for the American Idol title winner this season as he has a long way to go for his performance.

Tim Urban. Ellen gave Tim a hug this week because he did so good. I actually agreed that he did a great job. He is such a darling kid and I could completely see him becoming a teen heart throb. He still seems nervous and scared when the judges give him critiques, and the past weeks he has struggled. I would have predicted last week that he was at risk, but after last night’s performance he may be safe.

Andrew Garcia. I agreed with the judges that his “Straight Up” performance during Hollywood week was a huge bar he set for himself, and he hasn’t showcased himself up to that level since then. As an early favorite, I can see why people like him as he’s very talented. But as others have shown growth and improvement each week, I’m not sure he has. His song last night was good, but a bit boring for me – it didn’t have a “moment” or anything that blew me away.

Casey James. I was glad Casey went the country route again this week – as his Jimmy Hendrix style from last week distracted me with the electric guitar and I didn’t enjoy his vocals – plus I felt that it wasn’t as true to his style. However, with that being said, I’m not sure why songs are selected that are ballads without any wow factor – the song was a bit slow and not very dynamic for me. He sang it well though. I know he’s liked, but I also think that Kara’s gushing over him each week has gotten out of control and may have hurt his chances at showing his personality and connecting with the audience – as the focus is more on her reaction.

Aaron Kelly. Wondering why Aaron chose a country song – it just didn’t work for me. He’s so young and I think will have the pre-teen vote, but he does have a long way to go for experience and confidence – as well as truly learning the kind of artist he wants to be. The performance was rocky and pitchy for me and I predict he’s at risk to go home this week. I did feel so bad for Ellen DeGeneres after she gave Aaron her less than gushing feedback – his reaction felt a bit emotional and I could see her feeling bad about it. She’s mentioned many times that she tries to be nice even when the performance’s aren’t great – but it’s obviously difficult for her to provide the negative feedback. I like that about her – that she is honest and doesn’t take pleasure in cutting someone down. Simon’s praise bought back Aaron’s smile though so that discomfort only lasted a moment. I’ll be interested to hear Ellen on her show and see if she makes any comments on the subject.

Todrick Hall. The start of Todrick’s version of “Somebody to Love” by Queen last night was a bit shaky. I like him and would love to see him dance. I did appreciate the energy of his song – as some of the other performance were quite slow and without much enthusiasm. He did a pretty good job. I’m not sure he’s safe though. There have been so many great guys this American Idol season, and at this point I think each guy has a fan base and is so unique, it’s hard to predict with full confidence who will be going home tonight.

(Just an aside: One of the fun things as I write my commentary… is to write it and then listen to the judges… the fun part is to hear when the judges say almost exactly the same thing I just wrote.)

Michael Lynch. I just love Michael Lynch. Obviously I loved him during Hollywood week and seeing his tenderness at becoming a new daddy. He’s simply loveable. Darling guy. Great personality. Enthusiasm. And boy that guy can sing. He’s so refined and I think is completely in a different class than the other contestants – he’s like a seasoned performer and I can’t wait to buy his album. I’m thinking he’s the next American Idol unless someone else breaks away from the pack.

So… my predictions for who will be going home tonight from American Idol?

Some are easier than others: Aaron Kelly, and Katie Stevens and Paige Miles are my easy picks. Perhaps Todrick Hall, Tim Urban, or Alex Lambert will be the other one to go home.

Who do you think is at risk?