Idol Recap

Alright, so before I hit up any of the performances, let's just talk about "crying girl." At first I thought she was just scared of Sanjaya. Then, I realized that maybe she was brilliant... while American Idol as a show tried to recreate the British Invasion with 6 above-average singers, 1 mediocre singer, and 3 great singers, this girl would play the part of the girls who shrieked, fainted, and sobbed whenever The Beatles or Herman's Hermits stepped onto the stage. But seriously, don't you think that if that girl is at all normal enough to get married someday, that's going to be the first tape that the parents pull out to embarrass the hell out of her in front of her fiancee? It's kind of like if you happened to be on a local high school quiz show and weighed about 50 pounds more than you do now and had three chins and somewhat of a pre-pubescent voice. But I wouldn't know anything about that...

On to brief comments about the performances... I actually loved Gina's version of Paint it Black, but that's because I like the song, I like her, and I thought that Simon was way too harsh on her given that nobody, NOBODY can pull off a Stones song the true way it should be sung. She gave it her own spin which was fine with me. Haley definitely is going for the non-talent based vote and she has mine with the outfit she was wearing last night. But talent-wise, she did turn in a stronger performance than we're used to seeing. Does she really have a fiancee or is she trying to avoid stalkers?? Sanjaya was his normal off-tune stuff although my viewing partner thought that he was better last night than in the past (of course this is all relative and of course, I would have far preferred to see his sister onstage given that I forgot that she had some "talent" of her own until they showed her in the audience). I actually get excited to watch him when I hear he's coming in the same way I get excited to be in traffic for 45 minutes because I know there's a horrible accident on the other side of the road and can survive the 45 minutes knowing that at some point I'll get to see the carnage.

I thought, unlike the judges, that Blake Lewis' beatbox shtick was HORRID, but he'll survive. As will Chris Richardson because way too much of the country likes Justin Timberlake. Speaking of, I think the kid could turn Amazing Grace into a high-pitched, breathy, JT-sounding disaster. Lakisha is starting to be in some serious danger. She's got a booming voice, but she can't find her legs (not a weight joke). She's gotta find her style, songs that fit her, and stick with it. Not an enviable position to be the one-time front-runner, think you're safe, then suddenly be in trouble.

Chris Sligh, who we all know for sure now is a Jesus freak based upon his attendance at Bob Jones University (nice pull two weeks ago J-Red), gave a strong showing. Melinda (who made herself look like she was 50 and has to fire her stylist) is safe after proving that she really is that nice and proving again that she really can sing. But the big news is that Jordin Sparks is my new favorite to win Season 6. She looks cute, perky, could be a Gap girl, and showed off AMAZING vocals last night in her song. She is marketable and talented, which is the perfect mix.

In danger of getting cut: Stephanie, who absolutely flopped in her song. She's better than that, but I do agree with the judges that she looks tired and sings tired, and who can blame her... those contestants basically turn into Indentured Servants when they're in Hollywood. Phil Stacey I thought did a good job, but he's also in danger tonight just because there's so little that's actually redeeming about him.

Prediction as to bottom 3 tonight without cheating and looking at DialIdol.com: Stephanie, Phil, Gina.