American Idol Commentary - Playing It Safe

Tuesday night's guys' performances were pretty much what is expected for the first night of the final 24 performances, with many people playing it safe, at least one being clueless, and a few people taking chances, with only one of them being honored for it. But after all is said and done, who is it we're talking about at the water cooler?

First and foremost, we're talking about the odd exchanges between Ryan Seacrest and Simon Cowell. Last year they continued to get more and more odd, and this season, they're starting out eyebrow-raising from the get go. What it amounts to is this: Ryan asked Simon for an explanation of his comments after Chris Sligh's performance, Simon got mad, called Ryan "Sweetheart," and Ryan got mad.

This was furthered after the always witty dry-humored Chris Sligh told Simon he thinks it can be entertaining even if it isn't Il Divo or Teletubbies, two projects that Simon has his hands in. Simon wouldn't even look at the camera, Chris, or Ryan after this, and looked visibly hurt. Ryan said an adult version of, "You can dish is out, but you can't take it," to Simon, and he told Ryan he was making the situation very uncomfortable.

It will be interesting to see how this one plays out. For one, even though it's been widely reported that Simon and Ryan are friends offscreen, this one wasn't a joke to Simon. What will happen to their on-air banter after this. Moreso, how will Simon treat Chris? They both admitted they really do like each other, so I don't think it will change much, because they are both adults. But will Simon still hand down criticism to Chris, and will Chris feel the need to keep slamming him? Fox is probably hoping so, as it will make the show extremely popular. Just as they kept feeding the Kellie Pickler/Simon Cowell exchanges, they'll keep feeding this.

We've also been talking about Chris' performance itself, Typical. He rocked it out, and while Randy and Paula liked it, Simon of course didn't. Chris spent his intro clip complaining about having to sing Sweet Home Alabama which he's always disliked and Taylor Hicks' Do I Make You Proud. You're not going to get the norm from this guy. He's different, unique, and unusual, and is that way on purpose, not accident. He's not ever going to do what is expected, and will be willing to be voted out to not have to do it. Theme nights could get very, very interesting.

Also unique is beat boxer Blake Lewis, who came out this week not beat boxing, but with a Keane song and wearing a sweater vest. Yes, a sweater vest. The beat boxer was wearing a sweater vest. I expected him to sit halfway through the song and exchange his sneakers for a set of loafers, and then don a suit jacket and leave, waving goodbye. But instead, he was just very, very good. He proved what he needed to last night, that he is there not because he can beat box, but because, as Randy would say, "He can blow."

We're talking a lot about Sanjay Malakar, too, but it's mostly not good. He's been told since the first audition that he was better than his sister, yet now that she's been eliminated, he takes song advice from her. What is he thinking? He auditioned with a Stevie Wonder song, but that doesn't mean we want to hear another one. Plus, he's 17. He should be singing SexyBack or something. Never mind, I can't see that working either. He just needs to pick something that doesn't make him uncomfortable, because if he is, so are we.

Also panned by the judges was Sundance Head, who can't seem to catch a break since arriving in Hollywood, and now it's created a confidence problem with him. The guy can definitely sing. He proved that in his audition. Singing Nights in White Satin was a bold choice, and while the judges didn't like it, I did. And it didn't seem nearly as out of tune as they were saying. They just want to see the guy that auditioned for them, and they haven't. If he makes it through to next week, and he should, he just needs to go back to his Texas bluesy roots, and all will be well, with the judges, the viewers, and his confidence.

Brandon Rogers seems to be struggling with confidence, or creating a struggle with confidence. As a former backup singer, it's his chance to shine, yet he sings Rock With You? For gosh sakes, if you're going to sing Michael Jackson, at least make it one of his good ones. ABC would have probably even been better. As a backup singer, he was stuck in everyone else's genres all the time. Now it's his chance to show who he is as a singer, and this one just made him sound like a karaoke singer that isn't drunk. (Yes, I think there are a few of them out there.)

Also being talked about is the barefoot Paul Kim. He's trying to create a "thing" like Ace Young's beanie, but Ace backed it up every week with good tunes. Paul brought it later in the song, but the beginning was incredibly shaky. Then again, he was singing Wham! I think he'll most likely stay, but only because the barefoot thing is kind of kitschy. But if he comes in next week singing Wake Me Up Before You Go Go, he's gone, gone, and we'll be the ones sleeping.

The ones we're not talking about will wish we were, as they'll be on the bubble on Thursday, and two of them will leave. The ones that did nothing to make us notice them, and haven't been seen on the show before, have much to worry about. At least one of either AJ Tabaldo and Jared Cotter have sung their last song on Idol. AJ tried out five times before making it this far. Perhaps they let him in this time, only because it now makes him ineligible to try out again, and they can finally wrap it up with him.

Wednesday night is ladies night. I expect more of the same from them. Safe, one not getting it, and a few taking chances, with only one being successful.

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American Idol Commentary - In Need of 'Tude Checks and Caring Parents

I'm not exactly sure why American Idol decided to cram it's whole time in Hollywood into just one hour. It wouldn't be so bad if the feeling was because they wanted us to have more performance weeks, but instead it seems they had more auditions. Personally, I look forward to Hollywood. I like the drama and excitement, where the bad auditions got a little tedious after awhile. Why not three weeks of auditions and two weeks in Hollywood? Or at least expand to two hours on that night, since several of the auditions were expanded to two hours.

And of all times to try that, when they have a record number of people making it to Hollywood with 172. After watching all these people make it to Hollywood that past month, it just leaves me wishing I would get to see why they didn't make it, whereas I only feel I got to see that with very few. It left all of us fans this morning asking did so and so make it, could you tell? How about so and so, I didn't see them. I feel a little cheated after investing all that time into the auditions.

A lot of the ones they showed getting cut I didn't have much hope for anyway. I know many people expected Baylie Brown to become one of the final 12, but I wasn't feeling it. She had a great image, yeah, but I felt force fed her whole "I don't belong on the farm" thing from the beginning. And she was so young. While she sounded good, but not great, she needed to have the maturity to go along with the voice, and didn't. She couldn't remember her words, and blamed everything on the others. She should come back in two years with her voice even stronger, without the act, and ready to feel a little humility. It might look as good on her as that French manicure she was sporting.

And as far as I'm concerned, the two best friends, Amanda Coluccio and Antonella Barba, can go find themselves a bale of hay to sit on next to Baylie as well. Amanda showed her true colors after their first audition when she heard the judges say that Antonella was better than her. This leaves both of them feeling they are the privileged of the two, meaning they then fight over which song to sing, both thinking they know best. Amanda spends her time flirting with guys, then accuses Baylie of the same thing. She also thinks she made it through because God likes good people. It would have taken a lot for me to vote for that personality. Besides, their song This Old Heart of Mine was our wedding song, and these girls weren't doing it justice.

Gina Glocksen came out a little strong as well, but not quite as irritatingly. If she can calm it down a little, she has a shot of making it. I'd like to see her do well, as she's from my general neck of the woods in the Chicago 'burbs, and it's great that she's looking out for number one, but she needs to keep a check on a 'tude that could get away from her. Not that Perla didn't deserve Gina's wrath. At any point I expected her to break into a hoochie koochie a la Charo.

I had less complaints with the guys last night. Yet, the first I need to mention is Sundance Head. He was a favorite going into last night, but sung horribly on his first song, and forgot a few words in the group round. So why is he still there? Because he has something. There's some star power there. That's why he forgot words and is still there. Maybe he could pick up some techniques in remembering from his famous dad.

Another that I was looking forward to was Chris Sligh, and he did not dissapoint. Of course, we didn't get to hear him other than in the group round, but that group song was amazing, as he combined with Rudy Cardenas, Thomas Lowe, and Blake Lewis, the Beat Box guy. Chris had auditioned signing Kiss From a Rose, but here he is singing a Bee Gees tune. If that doesn't prove versatility, I don't know what does, other than the fact Blake is able to seem beat boxing into How Deep Is Your Love. These four guys worked together, worked hard, and didn't have the cat fights many of the girls had. Best of all, they were exciting, and something you could see actually winning. I think Chris and Blake carried the other two some, though, as I'm guessing alone they weren't as good.

My heart bled for Matt Sato and his un-supportive parents. They wouldn't come support him at his audition, lest he not make it, and they find they wasted their time and money. Once he made it to Hollywood, he cried when he told his mom, and last night we learned when he got home, she even hugged him which she rarely does. After he makes it through the first round there, she says she loves him, and he cries, saying she never says that to him. What the hell is that? Support your kid! It's his dream! But above all that, hug him and kiss him, and tell him you love him as many times as you can, even when he's not succeeding on national TV.

Another tender moment was watching Sanjaya Malakar realize his sister didn't make it to final 40, and that she was going home. While all are up there hootin' and hollerin', celebrating their good fortune, he runs down the stairs to console his sister. Maybe he can go console Matt Sato too.

Wednesday night, is the big reveal, the Green Mile walk, when we find out which 24 singers we'll be watching and listening to next week. I'm hoping to see Sanjaya, Sundance, Chris, and Blake. As for the girls, I'm not too sure who I'd like to see, other than a few we don't know if they made it anywhere or not, like Ebony the roller skater, and Latisha with the 3 year old daughter.

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American Idol Commentary - Bring On Hollywood!

Tonight we sat through our last night of auditions, and even the show itself called the episode "Best of the Rest," meaning they knew they didn't have the most entertainment value, although of everyone that was left, they were the best of it. They were scraped off the cutting room floor, and organized into lessons in how to audition for American Idol. Forget about all that, though. Let's just focus on the talent they think didn't measure up to the others, both good and bad.

First the good. We were shown a few more really good female sings and one more male. I'm not sure exactly what they're trying to say. The girls calling themselves the Frisco Carhops tried to bring us three females at once, but only two of three made it. Heather was good, but not even in the ballpark. Ashley was a little better, and made it despite committing a major sin. In the future, you out there that are thinking of trying out, never insult Paula Abdul when you're waiting for her to vote you in.

When Paula complimented Ashley and told her she was so beautiful that she didn't need to wear so much makeup, Ashley thanked her for the "motherly advice." Is Paula old enough to be her mother? Yes. So am I. My son is only four years younger than Ashley. But geez, don't tell her that. I wouldn't have been able to look past the slam, but Paula did, and was the deciding vote on this girl going to Hollywood, as Simon said no. Her friend, Ebony, didn't insult Paula, but it wouldn't have mattered, as she had more talent than the other . Reminding me of a young Whitney Houston, in voice and look, I'm hoping to see her in the finals.

Another interesting talent is Tami, a penny cab driver. Not only did she sing Whipping Post, a song done to near perfection by Bo Bice in season four, she also was unique, fresh, and new, just like he was that year. American Idol took him and turned him into something else in their machine. I'm hoping that won't happen to Tami. It'll be interesting to see if they change up her look if she makes it, just like people are wondering about Sean Michel, the Fidel Castro lookalike. I say leave them be. That's what makes them more interesting.

Gina has been here before, auditioning two other times, and making it to Hollywood last year, only to be sent home. She sings a great rendition of Black Velvet (this song should definitely be on a list to be retired from the show). What makes her interesting is her undying love for Simon, yet it doesn't seem to be as creepy as that of Sparkles from last week. He is a nice-looking man; you have to give him that. What makes Gina especially interesting to me is that she's from nearby Naperville, Illinois. It would be nice to have our area be represented on a reality show other than Beauty and the Geek.

Another great fresh talent is young mother Lakisha. She wants to do this for her daughter. She sings a little Aretha for us, and is great. The judges liked her as well. After she makes it through with everyone across the board loving her, she sits and cries with her daughter. Just another one of those ways the show likes to pull at our heart strings, and call me weak, but it always works on me.

Paul compares himself to William Hung, and it's kind of sad, as it's the only Asian singer he can think of. Listening to Paul sing, I think if William Hung can be a millionaire, than Paul is certainly deserving. He's wasting his talent as a pool cleaner, or by the PC term he used, pool technician. Guest judge that week, Olivia Newton-John, pointed out his unique powerfully smoky voice. For some odd reason, despite the fact Simon likes him, he keeps giving Paula crap, not letting her give Paul a compliment. Up to his old tricks, I guess, as this is stuff we've seen from him in years' past.

Now for the not so good. At least we don't have any of the outrageousness, just severely disillusioned. Well, I take that back. Christa is in outrageous clothes, but she's disillusioned about her look and talent. Wearing black and white checkered pedal pushers, yes pedal pushers, a bustier in black, a red wrap, huge red heels, and black hat that looks like she stole it off a very old recent widow. After blowing her audition, Paula comments on her shoes, and that's what makes Christa cry.

Paula is treated to two delusional fans. The first, Edward, I think he knew he couldn't sing, but wanted to come meet Paula. He just keeps talking about how hot she is. He does get a hug and a kiss from her as Randy and Simon make cracks about them being the same size. Honestly, why is he put through the pre-auditions for this. There isn't much entertainment value to watching a future stalker. The other, Alexander, sings Air Supply, and says he doesn't have money to take singing lessons. That's not all it takes, though, buddy. You have to start with some talent somewhere. And that dancing he was doing that he said he adapted from Paula's videos, even she didn't recognize it.

WES prefers to be referred to in this acronym of his name, and his songwriting isn't much better. His original song fails miserably, and I'm pretty sure he would have still failed singing something that wasn't original. I'm interested to see how this songwriting contest for American Idol is going to work. Most assuredly we'll get to vote on them in some way or another. And that's a good thing. Those original songs that are turned into hits by the American Idol winners leave a lot to be desired.

We'll go to Hollywood with 172 people. One that will be missing, that I was looking forward to hearing again, is Akron, the cousin from last night's show. He received a call a few days before he was to leave for Hollywood saying he was uninvited, but they wouldn't tell him why. It's being assumed that it was because of a past misdemeanor offense of possession of marijuana, but Akron claims he filled them in on that before he auditioned, and that it was okay. That's too bad. I was so looking for ward to watching his cousin William cheer him on from the audience.

Now, bring on Hollywood!

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American Idol Commentary - Out of the Mouths of Babes

Tonight a young girl challenged us to question just what was so noteworthy about someone going to Hollywood. "So?" she said. She has a point. Many people have gotten that Golden Ticket, and gone on to never have anything come from it. She's right, that little girl. When you look at the outcome of usually approximately 100 people, at the end of the series one of them winning a million dollar contract, and a few of the others getting a recording contract as well, what does one person making it to Hollywood really matter?

That golden ticket hung in the balance, though, for quite some time for Ashlyn Carr. She's got a good voice, and we could all tell that, but geez, she makes some weird facial expressions. Just like the Buggles sang, video killed the radio star. It's not okay to do things like that anymore, especially not when you're such a pretty girl to start out with. Half the time her mouth looked like Sammy Davis, Jr., and the other half, she looked like Clutch Cargo. But, like Jackson Browne sang, that girl could sing.

Ashlyn was given a rare chance to try again after Simon insisted she was good despite the facial expressions, and Paula and Randy had quickly dismissed her. She sang another tune, and it sounded possibly even better than the first time, but you could tell she wasn't even aware she was doing this facial thing. Simon and Randy put her through, and Paula told her too watch herself in the mirror and try to fix the expressions. Well, they were after Clay Aiken about his facial expressions, and how far did he get in the competition?

Kind of in the opposite direction is Sandie Chavez. She comes in talking of her years of experience, and especially proud of the day she sang for the mayor of Houston. But singing Blue Velvet, it's just weird. The tone isn't too bad, but she ends the words really oddly. She enunciates the fact that she's not enunciating, if that makes any sense. Plus, assumably for effect, she holds her hand cupped over her ear, so that we'll think this is something she's really serious about. The judges are equally unimpressed, and Paula goes on an on about seeing in her notes she's a teacher, and tells her to be grateful she has something like that in her life.

It's kind of odd, like telling someone be grateful to have a job, because they suck at everything else. And the funny thing is, she glossed over the fact, or didn't notice, that Sandie is a music teacher. Doesn't it make you wonder why no one has told her before she doesn't sound good? Even if her students are kids, kids are cruel, and I can easily see them saying, hey man, you suck. And I'm still trying to figure out why cupping her hand over her ear makes it sound better, and makes her think she doesn't need to end her words. Just another one to add to the delusional pile.

Also delusional is Brian Kyrish who thinks he sounds like Billy Idol, Ozzie and AC/DC, and isn't that good, despite the fact he's won a mock American Idol. Now, one thing he left out. How "mock" was this mock? Was it a joke? Was it just a local version of the show? Etc. Regardless, he was left with the impression he could sing, and he couldn't. Although for some odd reason, he wanted Ryan to sing Beauty and the Beast with him, this guy who thinks he's the next Billy Idol. That one could leave me with nightmares.

Then we have the girl, Baylie Brown, who lives on a farm and talks about how she's afraid of horses. Come ... on! That's the biggest load of crap. She's grown up around them. She wants to paint herself, literally, like some city girl with a certain air about her. But she's just a young girl that is looking to escape the small town life, and dreams of life in the big city ... with no animals. They talk about how she dresses so sophisticated and un-farm like, but I don't even see that. It looks normal. It's not like everyone on a farm dresses in overalls and carries a pitchfork. She sings nicely, though, and moves ahead. She needs a makeup lesson, though. Her eyes are way too dark for her natural look and blonde hair.

Haley Scarnato thinks she's all sophisticated, but Paula asks her if her dress is from the "Hoochie Mama" store. Well, that's a little rude. It seemed like they thought she wasn't going to be good, as Randy asked Haley when she walked in if she'd met Paula Abdul. Right, they most likely hang in the same circles or something. Or maybe he thinks Paula shops in the Hoochie Mama store too; I don't know. She surprises then with her talent, and is put through. It will be interesting to see if she takes the hint and wears entirely different things in Hollywood, or if because she's in Hollywood, she finds and even better place to buy the hoochie mama clothing.

Jasmine Holland isn't very good, and what's worse is her mom talked her into this. She's not good, and seems very shy, until she's told she isn't good, then bursts out of her shell slamming them for being negative, and especially slamming Randy for being a nobody in the music business. Her mom, though, thinks it all lies with Simon and wants him to go back to wherever he came from, as if Simon is the source of all immigration problems in the US. She also wants to send him back to France, believing that's where he came from. It's this family, though, speaking in French on the way out the door, telling the judges to kiss their ass. Yep, that will make them regret sending you home.

The most fun of the night was the two cousins, Akron Watson and William Green. William wasn't seriously auditioning, and seems to have just come along for the ride with Akron. Akron's family took him in when he was 14, so it's nice to see he wants to pay him back with support. When he doesn't make it, William tries to save face walking out the door, and tells the judges he's going to talk a little trash, despite the fact he understands, and tells them loudly to not make him come in there again. Akron just barely makes it through to Hollywood, and I like to think William did his part, lightening up the judges for him.

Jimmy McNeal is very likable, everyone agrees, and is even compared to Ruben Studdard, and it's never bad to be compared to a past Idol. He makes it through easily, and it's someone in his group that is the little girl to utter the words, "So?" Hopefully after Hollywood we can answer that question, but until then have to suffer through one more day of auditions, ones that are so uninspiring, they didn't even make the cut to be on the previous seven shows.. What I'm most interested to see, though, from the previews is the guy in the Alvin and the Chipmunks t-shirt. He just might be fun.

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AI Commentary – Delusion Breeds More Delusion

It just seems we can't get away from the delusional contestants on American Idol this year, and it seems each year that passes, it's only going to get worse and worse. Now that the show has been a success for a number of years, we not only have repeat offenders, but every time a silly bit works to get someone on TV, it seems someone tries to outdo that the following year.

The ultimate delusion this year seemed to happen in New York, and I'm a little worried, that it will spawn even more next season. Sarah Goldberg pranced into the auditions smiling broadly, but there was just something a little off from the get go. She sang Dreaming of You, and afterward admitted to being tone deaf. Okay, so at least she's not delusional, right? But, she wasn't there just to get on TV; she was there to be on the show even though she was tone deaf.

How would this work you're asking me. Well, we were all asking the same thing last night. Sarah expected the judges to pass her through and teach her to sing, seeing herself as the ultimate Idol since they could mold her the way they wanted. But, umm, they're looking for the best singer. Exactly, she reasoned, they could mold her into that, and she'd work real hard. Yeah, right. They're going to send your tone deaf ears to Hollywood to sing next to people that have worked their whole lives for this. It would be like a slap in the face to them. And, you know what? I don't think you can fix her problem, either the tone deaf ears nor the delusional self.

After Sarah left, she apparently went psycho. She not only complained that the judges were rude to her for not accepting her tone deaf ears to Hollywood, she complained they were all treated poorly there. And she'd become close and personal friends with each and every one, including the security guy. I'm guessing it's because the other contestants asked him to pull her off of them. She was also extremely incensed that the judges had the audacity to go out drinking last night. Like they'd go to New York and sit in their hotel rooms all night watching HBO?

Simon was on to Ian Benardo right away. I don't know if Simon watched last year's So You Think You Can Dance, but I did. Ian wanted a special place to hang his ratty fur coat that looked like he'd stolen it off some old lady walking down the street that had had it in her closet since the Roaring 20s, then proceeded to get nasty with Nigel Lythgoe. Today he pranced in with a chinchilla stole that looks like he skinned it off road kill and sings a terrible version of Gloria, before going off on Simon. He's got something against the Brits, I think. He even demanded to see Simon's visa. Simon knew his number from the get go, though, and said he knew it was all an act, and had security escort him out. Now Ian can become friendly with the security, too, just like Sarah.

More delusion comes from Ashanti Johnson. She was lucky enough to make to Hollywood on two prior seasons of American Idol, yet never any further. She seeks to get past that today. Oddly, she tells the judges she's worked so hard for this chance, and goes on to describe her current eating habits. I'm not quite sure what that has to do with showing how her singing talents have improved. Ashanti's audition song, Lovin' You, is absolutely dripping with desperation. The judges seem to like her even less than the past few times they've seen her, but she won't take no for an answer, wanting to know if it's her tonation and if she engaged them enough. Too many classes for you, Honey, and now you're just trying too damn hard. She ends by taking us through a soap opera where the only thing missing is a long lost twin sister. Simon tells her she's not good enough. Get over it. Yeah, what he said.

The real soap opera of the evening lay with Sarah Burgess. She's 19 and running away from home, sort of. In a story that just cuts through all of our hearts, she tells us her parents are against her pursuing a singing career, but she knows she's got it. She wants to hear her father say how proud he is of her. She lied to her parents, cut school, and came to New York for the auditions. All our heart strings are completely stretched out after Sarah tugging on them all night. She has a great voice, too, and easily makes it to Hollywood. By the time she calls her dad on Ryan's phone to tell him the truth, I am sobbing. I think the spot of emotional favorite is a tie between her and the girl who last week told us she was a crack baby.

Another young one was Jenry Bejarano, 16. The difference is he not only has the support of his parents, his mom is the one that talked him into auditioning. He was adopted into this family at just one years old. He sings great, but where I get creeped out a little is noticing that Paula is attracted to him. He's 16, and she'd old enough to be his mom. I have a 13 year old son, and can't see flirting with his friends. Eewww. But Paula is obviously attracted to him, and says he is "easy on the eyes." I still don't believe any of that about her and Corey Clark, but this still grosses me out a little.

Not that Simon was able to stop himself from oogling the young ladies, although at least he ogles 19 year olds. Amanda Coluccio and Antonella Barba came to audition as best friends, and Fox engages in a little sexploitation, showing the girls flopping around on the beach together in their bikinis. Simon remarks that the two must be extremely popular, then puts that all away and pits the two girls against each other, telling one she was better than her friend, and that in show business if someone is down on the floor, you should kick them. Although the girls have been best friends for a few years, I'm not sure if it will hold up to the stresses of Hollywood. Having them both make it is probably worse than only one of them making it. And if one of them leaves Hollywood before the other, it's going to be very tough.

Nakia Nicole Claibourne could use a best friend. She has the best energy of possibly anyone I've ever seen on the show before. She's just immediately likable, as she bounces around talking about how happy she is to be here, and how great it's going to be to go to Hollywood. Uh-oh. She's counting the chickens, and I haven't seen any hatching. Her bubbly version of Dancing in the Streets is very cute, and when the judges start talking to her about the need to calm down, she launches into the slower Dreaming of You, and all the flaws in her voice can be heard. In an American Idol group I belong in, Rich from Ohio suggested she should have never sang the second song, as she looked like a sure bet before that, and thinking about it since then, I think he's right. She just got so ahead of herself, and then, she was so dejected, I just wanted to run there and ask her to be my best friend. She killed me, to see her go from bouncy to one big sigh.

I felt really sorry for Christopher Henry, too. He came in with the news that people often compare his looks to that of George Michael and Simon Cowell. Simon doesn't see the comparison, but has to say that Christopher is a good-looking guy. That's where his nice-isms stop, though, as he is very mean to Christopher about his voice which is in an upper register, and sounds similar to a girl's, especially because he was singing a Kelly Clarkson tune. Simon makes cracks about him needing to be in a dress and stilettos, and while I defended him and his cracks last week, this one goes too far. That, and the guy should have had a chance at singing something more ... manlier, other than a Barry White tune, which is what Randy suggested.

After tonight's show, I can guarantee many more people that were rejected in Hollywood will try to make a comeback after getting the idea from Ashanti, and I am positive quite a few tone deaf will take up Sarah's argument and try to finish what she started. The judges will only have to be even more cruel to them, and then we'll hear all over again how the judges are so much more cruel this year. We'll also have girls running away from home, and the new tagline will be "I'm running away to try out for American Idol," instead of "I'm running away to join the circus."

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AI Commentary - Doing a Little and Doing a Lot in Memphis

No matter how you look at it, tonight's auditions were very different than last week's. Mostly in the fact the people didn't seem to be as delusional, which of course left less room for any cruelty, warranted or otherwise. And at least two of the auditioners seemed to be the exact opposite of many that auditioned last week.

Jason "Sundance" Head got his unique name from his hippie parents, and his dad had a hit record himself in 1965. Roy Head's Treat Her Right reached #1 one on the charts that year. Sundance always figured fame would come his way as well, and didn't even try too well in high school, yet here he is at 27, still waiting for his big break. And while everyone else is walking around talking about about how much the judges are going to like them, and what's going to happen once they get to Hollywood, Sundance is saying they won't be prepared for him, and will probably kick him out, calling him a smartass.

Yet, as Sundance walks in for his audition, he talks about his incredibly lucky year, marrying his longtime girlfriend, expecting a baby on Christmas day, and getting to American Idol. Simon thinks it's a little premature, and sits back to listen to Sundance singing Stormy Monday. Honestly, I look for the person that gives me chills every year. Sometimes there's more than one, and sometimes I struggle to find just one. This is my first chill. He was terrific. Simon thinks he's one of the best voices this year, and says he'd be shocked if he didn't make it to the finals. The last time I heard Simon make predictions like that was Carrie Underwood. He's going to be fun to watch.

The other one that isn't walking around smacking of I'm so great is Melinda Doolittle, a professional backup singer. Asked why she's in the background, she says just likes her space there, in the background, while she does her thing, and the leads do their thing. She also says she's had to sit on her hands all day to stop them from shaking from her nerves. She sings For Once In My Life, and is incredible, although, wow, she has no confidence. You can see it in her body as she's crouching down waiting to see if everyone is going to like her. The judges overwhelmingly approve of her, sending her to Hollywood, and I don't know if she can make it that far without confidence in herself, but it would be great if she could. Maybe she needs to change her name to DoALot.

Then we have the contestants that go right back to delusional. Travis McKinney can't stop talking about how much emotion he's going to put in his song. He's singing for his girlfriend, because they once had problems, but are now on solid ground. He predicts he'll be the first to single-handedly bring emotion to American Idol. I've seen some pretty powerful emotion these past five years, so rock on with your bad self, there, Travis. And while he's got some great emotion, his explosive dancing is oddly placed, and his singing just isn't good. His girlfriend just might not thank him for that.

Christopher McCain keeps talking about the girl that got away, and he's one that's already on people's lips as a possibility for the cruelty of the week award. His wife cheated on him, he took her back, and she left again anyway, yet he has a mad crush on Paula. He sings Footloose, complete with the dancing to the silent musical interludes. Simon tries a crack at him about his wife leaving because of his singing, but Randy shushes him. Instead, Simon says he is reminded him of a guy getting drunk at a wedding. It was obvious, at least to me, that this was his attempt at getting back at his wife, and it seems to have backfired, as he leaves without a ticket to Hollywood and without Paula.

The interesting look of the night goes to Sean Michel, as even he calls it a cross between Osama Bin Laden, Jesus, and Fidel Castro, but I'm calling it Ben Affleck that needs a shave. He's apparently homeless and says he thinks we all are in some way. Maybe he means spiritually or something, unless he's living in the tents on Apprentice. He sings a little Johnny Cash, and is ... interesting. I wouldn't walk away saying wow, he's got some chops, but he can sing, and he's interesting. He makes it through, and the bets are on whether he'll keep his interesting look, a la Taylor, or get the Idol makeover, a la Clay.

Another interesting look is Janita Burks, saying she thinks the judges will look at her and think she's well put together, innocent, aggressive, and really sexy. I think she might have one of those four, as she's in a skin tight dress that is so low cut, one wrong move, and we'll be calling her Nip. She sings Disco Inferno, and Paula has to tell Janita to watch it while she bends forward at the waist. As Simon jokes that she was a "handful," she does not make it through, as she didn't sing well. This is a case of someone thinking they can get through by titillating the judges. It worked against her.

I'd like to tell you all about Timika Sims audition, but she was so drone, it's hard to remember anything other than her droning and staring at the camera, as she struggled to know what to say. Next!

Frank Byers, aka Franks and Beans, was the complete opposite. He's a college cheerleader and coach, and the judges were shocked that he was over the top. Hello? He's a cheerleader! His whole design is to get people on their feet! After he's ejected, he gets Simon on his feet as he goes out to tell the cheerleaders that came with him to shut up. Of course, he adds in he's not being rude. Of course!

For the heartwarming moment of the auditions, we have Philip Stacy, whose wife went into labor and delivered their baby while he was away at the auditions. He wants to sing Let's Get It On, joking that it's the last thing his wife wants to hear. Instead he sings, My Girl for his wife and daughters, but should have stuck with his first instinct, as the judges didn't like it too much. He switches it up to the other song, and they like it more, getting him through to Hollywood, but he should have started out with it to begin with, and used his humor on them.

Randy asked for a cigar, but Philip was unprepared. I think he should have asked Castro.

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