American Idol Commentary - Simon Must Be Amazed

Color ... me ... shocked. There's always at least one shocker on who does or doesn't make the final 12, but this one is a biggie.

We start our night off with a group song, Stuck In the Middle With You, by Steeler's Wheel. This was always a favorite song of mine, so I'm diggin' it. For awhile I thought maybe they weren't going to let Antonella Barba sing, but she was able to sneak in there, and didn't sound all that bad. Sundance Head gets in a real bluesy riff, and it makes me think there's the Sundance we've been waiting to see. Now why can't he show more of that during the performance shows?

Something new we get to see this year, is when the performances of the week are quickly recapped, we get to see some of the performers backstage after their performance. It's interesting as So You Think You Can Dance does this too. Sundance tells us Jeremy is a rock song, and how he did it is pretty much how it should be sung. He's not sure if Simon has heard it or not. Blake is excited about getting to do reggae for the first time on Idol, and Gina says she is so comfortable onstage, and doesn't want to go anywhere else. I don't think she will.

Ryan gets right down to the results right away, and brings Lakisha Jones and Blake Lewis to center stage, and tells them one of them will work with Diana Ross next week, and the other is in the top 12. Huh? They both made it; he's just being sneaky. Chris Sligh is brought down and when asked if he thinks he made it, he says for fear of looking stupid, he'll say he hopes not. But no sweat. He's safe. Jordin Sparks is brought down and makes it as well. Phil Stacy comes down, and he's a big question mark for the evening. He's safe, though, and he takes a long time to walk to his seat, with Ryan acknowledging Phil's in shock.

Jared Cotter is called up to the stage and I can see it already. Four easy yeses made it, then a ? did as well. This question mark, Jared, I don't think will make it. Sure enough, his journey ends. Paula Abdul gives him a standing O, and tells him to continue his dream. Simon tells him he's good looking, and need to work on his vocals, while Randy harps on originality. Jared is obviously shooken up, and admits to being shocked. Antonella is seen crying, but no word on what Sundance is doing.

Melinda Doolittle and Brandon Rogers are brought down, and I'm thinking they aren't going to get rid of their second guy here, as all the others will know they're safe. He must be making it. He does, and so does she. Gina Glocksen and Chris Richardson come to the stage holding hands, and Ryan picks at their closeness, but Gina shuts him down right away, saying her boyfriend is upstairs. Again, they aren't getting rid of a second guy, so they're both probably making it, and they do.

After being reminded of Carrie Underwood's journey two seasons ago and all her successes since, and that Simon predicted she'd win and sell more records than any other Idol, she comes out and sings her new hit. After everyone jumped all over Kellie Pickler last week, accusing her of getting breast augmentation, I wonder if everyone will be all over Carrie here because you can clearly see dark roots growing out in her hair. Is it possible that she dyes her hair? How dare she.

It's time for our first girl to go home. Antonella is brought up with Stephanie Edwards. It should be Antonella, but we know it could go either way. Antonella is already crying, and for good reason, as she's going home. Okay, call me a sap, but now I feel bad for her. Phil looks shocked, and I'm no sure why. Ryan oddly asks what memories she'll have, and she just says there are too many good ones. Singing her last song, she hits a huge clinker while she's choking back tears and rolls her eyes at herself even.

Moving on, there are only two girls and two guys left. Haley Scarnato and Sabrina Sloan step onstage, and it should be Sabrina staying, but she didn't get the best reviews after this performance. Sweet Haley, with a bow in her hair, despite letting us believe she is treating this too lightly, saying she clocks in and out, stays. Sabrina is going home. Paula looks absolutely shocked, and Sundance is frozen in his chair, drying tears. Randy says it should be Sabrina in the top 12, and says America got it wrong. Sabrina tells everyone she'll miss them, and sings one last time. Man, she should not be going.

While Sundance and Sanjaya sit and sweat it out even longer, Ryan tells us about a very special project. Being the most watched and talked about television show, they have decided to give back. They are going to use the power of the show to do something about poverty in other countries and here at home. He and Simon took a road trip to Africa and met some of the children and saw what Simon called appalling conditions. It's very interesting to see Simon in this light.

Paula and Randy are taking part as well in this country. Randy is taking Paula to his home state of Louisiana where they are still severely hurricane damaged, and she talks about the others parts of the Mississippi still being damaged as well. When the show gets down to final 6, all the votes will benefit the cause of stopping poverty abroad and at home, and there will be special guest stars, and a song written by Quincy Jones. So that's what he was doing in the audience the other night.

Sanjaya and Sundance finally join Ryan onstage. It will be Sundance going home, and Sanjaya moving on. That loud thud you heard at 6 minutes to the hour was all of America dropping their remotes in shock. Paula looks deeply upset, and is asked if she is surprised. She says this is a singing competition and tells Sundance he's been one of their finest. Simon's only thought was that the volume must have been turned down. Paula issues out a quick warning to Sanjaya that they mean no disrespect, and wish to congratulate him; however, it's mind-boggling that Sundance would not make it in. Before singing his song the last time, Sundance makes a plea for someone to give him a job.

During the journey video for the four leaving tonight, we hear Simon telling Sudance he'd be amazed if he didn't make the finals, so I guess he's amazed. I understand the younger vote for Sanjaya and Haley, I really do, as they happen to be the favorites of my kids. And that's cool. But what I can't understand is Phil making it over Sundance. Don't get me wrong, I wanted Phil to make it, but this week, he was very off. And somehow, him doing LeeAnn Rimes beat out Sundance doing Pearl Jam?

I'm sure a lot of the votes went to Chris Sligh, Chris Richardson, and Blake Lewis, and I think Sundance shared a lot of his fans with Chris Sligh, so they split the votes, and apparently Chris got the lion's share. Phil must have a different audience, as he sings a different type of song. I'm sad for Sundance, though, and sad that he never got to show it all. That emotion I was waiting for him to pour into a performance, I'll never get to see. Yeah, someone give this guy a job, a singing job.

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