Top Six and a New #1

#1 Jordin Sparks - Another phenomenal performance and I finally move her up to #1. It's fun to see how much she has blossomed this year. I have had her in my top-four all season, but it's time to face reality: No matter how technically brilliant Melinda is, she is a niche performer with little cross-over appeal (More on that below). Jordin is the perfect American Idol and is by far the most marketable performer. Oh, and she was freaking incredible last night.

#2 Melinda Doolittle - Not to take anything away from Mindy-do. She is the most polished, technically sound, talented performer at this stage in the competition that Idol has probably ever seen. But is she a good American Idol? Here's how I look at it: Who are the most successful of the past American Idols? I would say Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood. Who are the least commercially successful? Ruben and Fantasia. Why? Cross-Market appeal. Both Ruben and Fantasia are limited Genre performers. They just aren't going to have a big hit that will rise to #1 on the R&B, Gospel AND Pop charts. Kelly and Carrie can have the same song on the pop charts, the rock charts (Kelly) the Gospel and Country Charts (Carrie) at the same time. It's all about that cross-over marketability. Doolittle, I believe, will fall into that later category, where she is HUGE on the R&B chart, or the gospel chart, but struggles to maintain pop success. A long justification for bumping her to #2, but it was needed, especially after she sang such a big powerful God-Lovin' Faith Hill song last night, that I totally loved.

#3 Blake Lewis - The only one with any true upset potential (because Lakisha has been fading so fast) left in the competition. I respect the guy for going with one of my all-time favoritist songs (Lennon's Imagine), but there is just something a little wierd and a little off when he just sits and sings a straight slow ballad and actually just sings. I can't even put my finger on it, it's just....wierd. I dunno. We haven't had any beatboxing in a while, either. At first I was afraid (i was petrified) that he would over-kill it, now I think he's been underutilizing an entertaining aspect of his performance repertoire.

#4 Lakisha - Did she really cover past American Idol winners two weeks in a row? Obviously, the single baby-mama is an inspiration to her, but really? A Fantasia song on a night like Idol-Gives-Back? Really?

#5 Chris Richardson - I will shoot myself in the head before I put him higher than the four above, but the dude had a GREAT performance last night. Great song for the night, great performance. Great voice. I have nothing to criticize about the performance.

#6 Phil Stacey - Dude butchered a GREAT Garth Brooks song. I thought he would do a solid country ballad a little justice, but, NOPE. It was wretched. Time for the Weekly World News' Bat-Boy to take a hike!

Idol Top Seven

1. Melinda Doolittle
2. Jordin Sparks - She just keeps getting better and better. Melinda is more polished, but this kid SHOULD be the next American Idol.
3. LaKisha - My girl has been weak the last few weeks. Mind you "Lakisha Weak" is a billion times better than "Chris Richardson Strong"...
4. Blake Lewis - I wanted him to bust out something more upbeat on Country night, that he could lay down some beatbox to, so I was disappointed. Instead, he sang a song that really needs a redneck twine to sound good.
5. Sanjaya Malakar - I was hoping for one of the sillier Shania Twain songs from him (Man, I feel like a woman?). Another creepy/entertaining performance.
6. Phil Stacey - Nothing entertaining about it. I'm just not a fan. I'm extremely indifferent about him. He adds NOTHING to the show.
7. Chris Richardson - Every week I talk about wanting to kick him in the balls, or punch him in the face. I've run out of places that I want to physically hurt Mr. K-Fed/Timberlake.

Idle Top-8

So for all of the zero people that still read my blog, I'm changing up my idol ranking tonight. There are three categories: The Good, The Bad and the Sanjaya. There are just four performers that I remotely care for, three that I really don't like and then, well, Mr. Vote for the Worst.

Like I've said before, at this point I just want him to stick around for the entertainment value of it all, seeing him try to tackle all of the genres. I watch T.V. to be entertained and I can't get angry about the results of American Idol. Honestly.

So first for the Good:

1. Melinda Doolittle - I was finally able to come to a decision and rank my front-runner after last night. Not that Melinda was all that super (read boring and dated), it had more to do with LaKisha making a really bad song selection and just facing that Melinda is flat better.

2. LaKisha

3. Jordin Sparks - I think she has the best "pop" hope to actually be a bankable start out of this competition, at least of the womens. Melinda and LaKisha, like Ruben Studdard before them, are very niche - old school soul performers when it comes down to it.

4. Blake Lewis - I still like this guy. Do I think he's a great singer? No, but he's darn perfect to be the American Idol regardless. And he had the only performance last night that has stuck in my head at all!

The Sanjina has to rank #5 by default. That is how far I want to see him get into the competition. Of course, I care so little this season about who really wins it, that, if he gets this far, even I might start voting for him. I would be pretty darn funny to see him get to the finals!

And now the BAD, and at this point, I just want to lump them all together: The Whore, the Wannabe and the Freaky Bald Dude. Hailey might have covered herself up a little bit better this week, but she compensated by throwing on the street walker eyeshadow and lipstick. Way to go! (SIDE NOTE: Thank you Simon for saying what everyone else is thinking: You're voice can't compete, so keep taking off your clothes every week to get the vote) I am back to wanting to kick Chris Richardson in the balls, especially after he destroyed a good Carlos Santana/Rob Thomas song. and Powder err...Phil Stacey, he just adds zero entertainment value to the show. He's lame.

For your viewing pleasure

Idol Nine

1. DoKisha LaMelinda - I just can't pick a front runner still. My head says MindyDo, but my heart is still with Kiki. They were both nails last night as always. Dial-Idol, which was finally accurate again last week (the text-messagers didn't vote for Chris Sligh either), says that one of our lovely ladies takes a hit this week, so we'll see...

3. Gina Glocksen - She had such a great performance that I just can't move her down. I want to see her do well in the show. I could lose Jordin and not be sad, I could lose Blake and not care, but if Gina leaves, that blows.

4. Jordin - Last night she finally had a performance where I never though of her as the 17-year old baby. She held her own with the older contestants. Imagine how this girl is going to be in eleven years when she's the same age that Melinda is now?!?

5. Blake Lewis - Great all-around performance. Not the perfect vocal, but it was still alot of fun.

6. Chris Richardson - Only moves "Up" out of default because i had to move the next guy down. Timberfed had a decent performance. I'm not hating the guy as much anymore, he's a nice enough kid, I am just completely lukewarm about him.

7. Phil Stacey - I'm over Phil.

8. Sanjina - You read that right. I moved him up a spot. He isn't going anywhere for a while, so it's nice to at least be entertained by him every week, and I definitely was entertained last night. His vocal, insidentally, was the best that he has shown YET in the semifinals and finals. Still mediocre, but not terrible like usual.

9. The Whore - Hailey Scarnato just really needs to dissappear and this week, finally, I think it might happen.

This is cooler than R2D2 Mailboxes!

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/32140

Opening Day

Angels win, Dodgers lost. What could be better? Oh, and Gary Matthews Jr. is staying off of my "Spit list" for now. How refreshing was it to see a center fielder who ACTUALLY KNOWS HOW TO MAKE PLAYS ON THE BALL!?!?!? It's so nice to have Friggin banished back to leftfield again!

In other Angels news: Percy official retired as an Angel yesterday.

This got me thinking about how they haven't put anyone in the Angels Hall of Fame in a while, or retired any numbers. I think the next no-brainer for BOTH is #31 - Chuck Finley. I'm suprised it hasn't happened yet. C'mon Arte, get 'er dun! Percival, I think, should be in the Angels HOF, but not have the number retired. We'll see....eventually.