Drunk or Just Stupid?

Let's start with Paula Abdul, shall we? There are various takes on the deeper meaning of what she did on Tuesday night when she critiqued Jason's second song before he ever sang his second song. You can read those HERE (caution foul language) or HERE. I personally think that she was reading notes that she wrote during dress rehearsals and because she's slightly insane, forgot to only talk about the first performance. The messed with the format last night, so you can't blame her ENTIRELY. Blame Jim Beam.

On with the show. With apologies to my mom, last night was pretty weak. Neil Diamond wasn't as good as, say, Andrew Lloyd Webber last week in actually giving valuable critique, other than giving Brookie some obvious advice to personalize her second song. Even my favorite, David Cook, was just ok last night. I thought the concept of his second song was great, doing a power ballad and showing off his voice, but the song it self...well it kinda sucked...

Speaking of SUCKED....David Archuleta completely destroyed two good songs. He butchered Sweet Caroline, which I think should have been done by David Cook, and then he gave the most bizarre performance with America. The music in the background sounded like someone pushed a demo button on one of those old Casio Keyboards. It was just really stinking bad last night.

I gotta give some props and some pans to Brooke. The train wreck that was her take on I'm a Believer was followed up by a perfect song, and a difficult one, that is totally in her wheel house and might just have saved her (but probably not). I'm a Believer was wretched. Even Donkey sang it better in Shrek 2. But then the second song, back to her Singer/Songwriter vibe (or the Lilith Fair shiz, as I call it). I was VERY impressed with the second song it was amazing.

Syesha was very solid last night. Same deal with her: she's a very competent singer, and has shown some personality the last few weeks. She's better suited for Broadway than American Idoly things, though, and I'm sure that's where she'll end up. She was the top vote getter last night, beating both David's.

Jason Castro was horrible. Surry. I think it's time for him to go. Unfortunately, I don't think it's going to happen. Here are my rankings, followed by my predictions:

1. David Cook
2. Brooke White
3. Syesha Mercado
4. Jason Castro
5. Sanjaya
6. David Archuleta. Yeah, he's that bad.

Bottom two tonight: Castro and Brooke White. Brooke will be going home. Dial Idol (which had Carly going home last week) has Brooke in last but it's close. When you account for text messaging (and all the kiddies who text are more likely to be voting for the hippie), Jason will separate the gap and send Brooke home.

Monday's Random Thoughts

• I didn't predict last week, but I would have said Brooke was going home. I was pleasantly suprised to see that Dial Idol was nails again, as they said Carly was the lowest vote getter and, indeed, she was. One would think that this seals the deal for a David v. David finale, but I just have a bad feeling that the Daughtry curse is going to hit the rocker before the finale. It'll be interesting to see how it all pans out. It will also be interesting to see who makes the top three. It'll probably be the two davids, and then either Brooke, Syesha or Jason will hit the top three. Without knowing anything about song selection for Neil Diamond week, I'm guessing Jason will be safe and in the top 4. I'll also make an early prediction that Syesha will be going home. My top-5 order you ask? 1. David Cook, 2. Brooke White, 3. Syesha, 4. Jason Castro, 5. David Archuleta.
• Why do bad things happen to good people? I just found out that our golf team's vans got broken into this weekend and one of our golfers lost all of her school stuff (books, etc.) right before finals, and also lost her ID, making it difficult for her to get back on a plane tommorow... brutal.
• Wildfire returns to the airwaves tonight for a stretch run. This is probably the show that I would call worst TV show I ever loved. Once you get invested in characters, you forgive a ton of sins as far as storytelling and plots go. The worst part is, they've previewed the heck out of the series finale, and we already know what is going to happen. But I'll still watch.
• It's finally my "Summer" as far as work goes! We had our last home games yesterday. Just some remaining golf and track events, but no more home games until August!
• I start two new small group bible studies this week, and I've very excited. On Tuesday we are starting up a group at work. It's just three of us right now, but it'll be good. Then on Wednesday mornings I'll be in a group at church called "Husbands Anonymous", led by our senior pastor. This should be really good. I know a couple of the guys in the group pretty well.

For the Record

I would have been way off on my predictions for Mariah Crappy Night. I had Syesha, Brooke and Carly in the bottom three. I didn't even have Kristy Lee Cook in the bottom three, and she went home. As my wife says, I need to stop relying so heavily on the Dial Idol results, since they don't take into account text messaging, and that is how all the 12 year olds are voting. They are usually pretty accurate, but this week they had KLC in the "safe" zone, so this was a big shock to me. Anywoo, here are my top six heading into Andrew Lloyd Webber night.

1. David Cook
2. Brooke White
3. Carly Smithson
4. Jason Castro
5. Syesha Mercado
6. David Archuleta

My PREDICTION for the finale: David Archuleta and Carly Smithson. David Cook should be there, but you just know that ala Daughtry, something screwy will happen!

That wasn't very nice

Seacrest: "Last week during Idol Gives Back, we didn't kick off the lowest vote-getter. Tonight, Michael.....you're going home."

Brutal.

I got the right bottom three at least!

Are you a product of the 80's?

I've included only my favorites from this email that's going around:

1. You've ever ended a sentence with the word SIKE.

2. You can sing the rap to the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and can do the
Carlton

3. You know that 'WOAH' comes from Joey on Blossom

7. You got super-excited when it was Oregon Trail day in computer class at
school. - TOTALLY!!!!!!

9. You played the game 'MASH'(Mansion, Apartment, Shelter, House)

18. You still get the urge to say 'NOT' after every sentence.

23. You remember 'I've fallen and I can't get up'

26. You remember boom boxes and walking around with one on your shoulder
like you were all that.

27. You remember watching both Gremlins movies.

28. You thought Doogie Howser/Samantha Micelli was hot.

30. You remember New Kids on the Block when they were cool...and don't even
flinch when people refer to them as 'NKOTB'

31. You knew all the characters names and their life stories on 'Saved By
The Bell,' The ORIGINAL class.

37. You remember 'Where's the Beef?'

Top Eight

The performances were very weak and very boring this week, and so will be my post! Not much change in my rankings, although slightly more than last week (when nothing changed)

1. David Cook - Yes he's pompous. Yes He's Indulgent. Yes he's cocky. He's a rock star for goodness sake!!!!
2. Brooke White
3. Carly Smithson
4. Michael Johns
5. Jason Castro
6. David Archuleta
7. Syesha Mercado
8. Kristy Lee Cook

Bottom Three this week: Syesha, Carly, Michael Johns

Going Home: Syesha

An homage to Doogie

Predictions

Bottom Three: Ramiele, Jason Castro, Carly Smithson

Going Home: Ramiele.

So far I'm 2-for-3 since the finals began.

Dolly Parton Night

Man, this would have been so much better as a straight country night instead of the Dolly Parton songbook. I wanted to see Archuleta do God Bless the Broken Road. Anyway....

1. David Cook
2. Brooke White
3. Syesha Mercado - I thought her version of I Will Always Love You was very good. I was shocked when she got a lukewarm reception from the judges. It was no Whitney, but it was still great.
4. Michael Johns - Another strong week. I'm really starting to like this dude.
5. Carly - She was WAAAAAY better than Simon gave her credit for. She is the best singer in the group. Whole package? Verdict is still out.
6. David Archuleta - He was pretty good last night, I have to admit. I still just don't know. I do keep him above....
7. Jason Castro - ....because as fun and easy going as Jason Castro is, he's turning in the same performance every week and it's getting rather boring. Not someone who can win this thing.
8. Kristy Lee Cook - So I was just informed that her brother played football at Oregon, so one of my friends that used to hate her now feels bad about that, because she's friends with the brother! What a small world Oregotucky is, heh? If anyone should have shone last night, it was her, and yet I wasn't that impressed with the performance.
9. Ramiele Malubay - zzzzzzz....