American Idol Top 9 - What kind of theme is that!

Tuesday night means just one thing in my house, another look at the remaining contestants on American Idol. But what the hell kind of theme is "Top Downloads." Sure, we get that the show is in cahoots with iTunes but do we need any more advertising on this already product placement fueled talent competition?? I haven't listened to the radio for years thanks to an addiction to my iPod (note product placement) so I have no idea what the Top 9 will pick this week or how it will go and more importantly if I will even recognize the songs but it hopefully will make for an interesting night.


Anoop opens the show with Usher's Caught Up. Don't know the song at all and I'm thinking I am not going to remember this performance come mid-show apart from the fact it was pretty wretched and he should have kept his ego at the door. If there was a Most Cocky Idol, Anoop would be a shoo in. Seriously, he's not even remotely close to being that good to have that type of attitude. I'm putting him right after Scott for who should go home tomorrow and that's without even having to be tortured by whatever song Scott will undoubtedly be singing at the piano. If this is any indication of the night ahead of us, it's going to be a long show.

I'm not thinking Megan made the wisest decision with her choice of Bob Marley's Turn Your Lights Down Low ala Lauryn Hill but we will give her a chance. Yup, it's bad. I just wanted to strangle her with that dangling braid that was just hanging on the side of her face. That cute quirkiness is just gone for me. It sounded like she was just talking the song. Horrific to say the very least but I will say that I would still rather see Anoop and Scott go before this train wreck. So help Vote for the Worst and their campaign to keep her because there are more unworthy contestants still left. Plus, was it just me or did she look like she knows she sucks but thinks she has no chance of going home yet?

Saint Danny floats to stage. Sure, he's overcome tragedy after tragedy what with his wife and his grandfather both passing away but enough with the pity and sympathy getting and it even effects his song choice, which this week is Rascal Flatts' What Hurts the Most. I'm thinking no matter what he does he will be make it through. He is talented. It's just his wholesomeness that irks the crap out of me. I do agree with Simon that Danny needs to stay at the mic stand. Please no more of the bad white boy dancing, please!

My girl, Allison, chooses to pay tribute to her local band, No Doubt with Don't Speak. Can the girl do no wrong? Even down to the outfit which was a mix of Gwen Stefani and Lily Allen and unlike Miley Cyrus, she still looks like she's sixteen. She could have given a little more fierceness with the song but she still is by far the best of the night for me. And Randy should not be giving fashion advice. Did you see him in that knit cardigan?? Not to mention when he used to perform with Journey in spandex!!!! And besides, this is a competition based on talent not fashion.

Snooze fest Scott continues his boring litany of singing at the piano and to none other than the original piano man, Billy Joel. But did he pick something fun, oh no, Scott went with the sobering Just the Way You Are. It's all over the place. Please let this be the end of the line for him. This was just safe and dull but apparently my hearing is impaired because the judges loved it. The producers this year seem to be coaching the judges very blatantly. Like tonight, they didn't like Allison, namely because she's sixteen and dressed the part of an emerging teen pop/rock star, and now they defend the seeing impaired guy despite the fact that this was so boring that I tuned it out all together despite watching the screen the whole time. I think it's all setting us up for them to use the save. You know it's going to happen sooner or later. But I just don't get the fascination with Scott who has already released six self-produced CD's and has had numerous appearances on television already! He really is the Jason Castro of the season.

Matt opens weakly with his take of The Fray's You Found Me, which I am not familiar with in the least. He just doesn't sound as good as during past shows. I really think he should stick with the Justin Timberlake type songs. Keyboardists really have no place doing rock n roll songs. It wasn't horrid enough for me to think that he will end up in the bottom three with Anoop, Scott and Megan but after last week, who knows.

Lil Rounds goes with one of my least favorite people in the world, Celine Dion's I Surrender. She looks great but I am bored with the song. She could have picked so many other great artists such as Mary J Blige or Beyonce but she goes with a contemporary adult power ballad which she does a good job with, but once again, her performance is just not wow enough. I do think we should all keep in mind that yes, Lil is picking mature songs and is still only in her 20's but this woman has gone through a lot in her short life - she's a mom who has survived Hurrican Katrina, that I will let it all slide but I do want to see a little more spunk from her.

Adam finally gets onstage and rocks it with Wild Cherry's Play That Funky Music. I just love him! He rocks the Elvis look again and he has that perfect scratchiness to his voice like Axel Rose from Guns N Roses. He's a showman and can sing. Bring on the carpal tunnel because Adam is the king of the night! I know I can't be the only one to have heard that idiot, Kara, say it was very reminsiscent of Studio "57!" Oy vay!

Kris closes the show and takes to the piano with Bill Withers' Ain't No Sunshine and I was very happy to hear that after the first verse he kicked it up a notch. I liked it but I don't think I am going to remember his performance which is the problem with Kris. He's talented, good looking but just not that memorable but this was a really good performance for him and he will be proclaimed safe tomorrow night. Let's just hope he doesn't accidentally start walking towards center stage like he did last week. He needs to find some confidence.

Who is worthy of carpal tunnel? The usual suspects, Adam and Allison, of course

Who should you throw some votes to? Matt!!! Please save him this week. It's not his time yet.

Who should be in the bottom tomorrow? Anoop and Megan justly so and Scott because I just want him gone.

So who did you love? Who are you just sick of the sight of? Drop us a line and we will see you tomorrow night for the results.

American Idol - Who went home

It's result night over on Idol when we fast forward through the group lip sync, ego boosting introductions, dramatic pauses and all that other nonsense and finally get a glimpse at who is going to be singing for their lives tonight. If things go as expected, the judge's save won't be used but stranger things have happened and it just occurred to me that there are only three female contestants left and with Vote for the Worst campaigning to keep Megan on the show, the bottom 3 tonight could be very interesting. Thus, without further ado, let's see how it all played out.

My boy, Adam, is first to stand and is promptly told to sit right down. Matt is next and I'm thinking will be asked to be seated but no, Ryan says he's in the bottom three which is just bullshiz! Did America go deaf this week???? I don't get it!!!!! Kris is next and is proclaimed safe but still makes a move to center stage by accident. Mind you, I can't tell you what he sang last night but I remember it wasn't horrid.

Michael and Lil are pitted against each other. I won't be surprised at either being in the bottom three after Matt. I thought Lil was fantastic but I have heard quite a few people who thought she wasn't that great and Michael, well, I did say yesterday that he picked far too big of a song that was not suited for him. Ryan welcomes Michael down to the dreaded silver chairs along with Matt. All I have to say is Scott had better being joining them!

Allison is next after the Joss Stone and Smokey Robinson duet. No worries there the fiery redhead is safe. Hardly, a shocker. Anoop is next and is also safe. Good old wholesome Danny is up next with his cocky little retorts to Simon and he'll be back. Fine, I get it but I still don't like him. Now, it's between the worst two from last night, Scott and Megan. Scott is led by Ryan to complete the trinity of silver chairs. Megan looked stunned so at least she's in touch with reality.

Randy seems to be pissed off about Matt being in the bottom three andrightly so too. Ryan finally announces who is safe and Scott is sent back to the couch!!! WTF!!!!! If today had been April's Fool I might just have been amused by this but this just sucks! If Matt, is indeed the one I think there is a good chance that the judges will save him. If it's Michael, it will be the end of the road which I thought would be next week or shortly thereafter.

The show is prolonged by a surprise performance by Stevie Wonder. I'm starting to think this is a subliminal attempt to garner Scott more votes. Finally, Michael is revealed to be the one singing for survival and frankly, I think that the judges don't even need him to sing one last time but I must say he did sound better tonight. No save used and Michael is going home to his little girl.

I'm thinking I might just need to start a campaign of my own to get Scott voted off this show once and for all. Who wants to join me??

American Idol - The Top 10 Who Got Their Groove On

Well, if you are planning on getting tickets to see the American Idol Tour this summer, these are the kids you will paying to see. I'm still a bit annoyed that Alexis went home last week instead of Scott. It just really irks me that the blind guy who has to be planted at a piano is going on the tour instead of little Pinkie. But that's history, and this week is Motown week so let's get this party started.

To get the kids inspired for this week's theme, producers sent them to Detroit where they got to meet Smokey Robinson (does he ever age?) and Berry Gordy and then were brought back to LA where Smokey joined them as their mentor. They are in the best of hands, let's just see who delivers and who butchers these masterpieces.


Matt Giraud kicks off the night with a piano accompaniment to Marvin Gaye's Let's Get It On and he nails it. For a dorky white guy, he's got the soul it takes for this classic song and still is reminding us of Justin Timberlake. See you next week, Matt, great job!

Kris Allen, once again, donning his acoustic guitar and still looking cute, opted for How Sweet It Is by Jr. Walker and the All Stars. It's kind of theme park-ish if that makes sense. Safe, clean and not too memorable but one of his better performances. Not sure how he will fare tonight though. I think he will be safe with the pre-teen girl vote.

Scott "Bore Me" MacIntyre is up next and once again tickling the ivories. It's just really annoying me that he keeps using the piano crutch. They seriously can't just have him at the piano during the whole tour, can they? I know I keep harping on about it, but it's annoying the crap out of me. He makes yet another bad song choice with The Supremes' You Can't Hurry Love. Absolutely HORRIBLE!!!! Sure, the guy is blind and, obviously, talented but he has just zero personality! Why didn't he get kicked off last week? With any luck, tonight will be the end of the line for him.

Megan Corkrey, who I have kind of liked for her quirkiness alone, chooses Stevie Wonder's For Once in My Life and it is a train wreck. She tried to make it more jazzy but it's just not translating well. Her voice isn't strong enough at all and it sounded very flat. And will she stop with her weird little chicken dance! She most certainly will be joining Scott in the center of the stage tomorrow night. The only thing that could save her is Vote for the Worst's campaign to save her. Remember it has worked for the likes of Scott Savol back in Season 4 and of course, Sanjaya in Season 6 and last year's Kristy Lee Cook and Jason Castro.

Anoop Desai, another one who does not deserve to still be on the show in my opinion, takes on The Miracles' Ooh Baby Baby. Sure he's got personalityand can sing but he's in no way a pop star. His performance is safe and really unoffensive but why is he still wearing that Members Only jacket. I know 80's fashion is back in style but that was never a good look for anyone. Anoop will live to see another day but he needs to somehow find within himself some star quality and that's not something you can just learn.

Michael Sarvers takes on The Temptations' Ain't Too Proud to Beg. It's way too big of a song for him and it feels more cabaret to me than anything. It's lacking that soul that Matt had. Considering how Scott and Megan performed, I think Michael will eek by. I would have liked to have seen him do the Rolling Stones' version of this song, which would have been a more interesting rendition for him to attempt. With any luck Middle America will take to the phone lines and keep oil rig guy in for at least one more week.

Finally, someone we can count on to do an awesome job. Lil Rounds picks the perfect song with Martha and the Vandella's Heatwave. It fits her voice and personality to a tee. The girl just has the it factor. Sure, she's got some major junk going on in her trunk but who cares when she has soul and talent. She just makes it all look so easy. Fantastic job and I am proud to say Lil is the first one joining the carpal tunnel worthy club this week. And just when I thought that my hearing was on the mend, the judges aren't giving her the glowing review that I expected. I get what they are saying in that it wasn't "stop everything wow" but it was by far, the best so far tonight.

Adam Lambert goes for an unplugged version of The Miracles' Tracks of my Tears and gets dolled up for the night as well and looks like a young Elvis. The boy nails it again! Like Lil, he just makes it look so effortless. He really could have done a rocker version of this but his choice of acoustic was brilliant. Adam, once again, you are worthy of carpal tunnel. See you next week and I still maintain he will make it to the finals!

Danny Gokey is up. I am just going to say that he bugs me. I don't know if it's the stupid white guy dances he does, but there's just something about him that irritates me which sucks because he can sing. He does a good job with The Temptations' Get Ready and we will be seeing him for a while longer. I don't have much more to say on the matter.

My favorite since day one, Allison Iraheta closes the show with The Temptations' Papa was a Rolling Stone. Amazing as I have come to expect. The girl has the whole package and wouldn't it be nice to have an edgy winner for a change. I still can't believe this little girl has this much soul at such a young age. Tonight I am proclaiming Allison - Queen of Carpal Tunnel!!!

Our Predictions:

Who is worthy of carpal tunnel this week? Hands down ~ Allison, Adam and Lil Rounds.

Who is going to go home tomorrow - I hate to say it but Megan, it's time, even though I'd prefer to see Scott out of the competition once and for all. He's just so boring and lackluster! So let's hope that VTFW's fanbase listen and keep Megan around for one more week so we can get rid of piano boy.

Who should you throw some votes at? Michael, he wasn't as bad as those other two and deserves one more week.

As usual, we would love to hear what you thought of tonight's show. So have it in the comments and we will be back tomorrow with the results. I'm 99.99% sure that the judges won't be using the save unless something goes horrificly wrong.

The Chopping Block - Is it worth a nibble?

I have had a long standing addiction to anything culinary on TV. As a kid, it was all about Julia Child. Then as a preteen, I discovered Jeff Smith aka the Frugal Gourmet and Justin Wilson with his catchphrase "I gar-on-tee!". As a teen, every Saturday morning was spent watching Yan Can Cook and his machine like chopping skills. Then Food Network was born and I thought I died and went to heaven. Finally, the mysteries of Iron Chef were revealed to me after years of watching sans subtitles. I would even curl up in the fetal position when they ran old episodes of the Galloping Gourmet. So when my love of reality TV and cooking shows became one, I was besides myself. But now there is a new breed of cooking reality TV that has hit the screens and I am not that sure I am loving it.

First, the Brits brought us Last Restaurant Standing. The concept is clever. Take one of the most esteemed French chefs of the world, add in some eager wannabe restaurateurs, and put them in the oven, you would think a lovely souffle would appear but sadly, all we seem to get is a flat lump of blah. Although I love Raymond Blanc, I find the show to be tedious with one week everyone competing against each other and the next deciding who should go home. The contestants themselves are just dreadfully boring and really have no idea what they are letting themselves in for much like my pet peeve with Hell's Kitchen. Seriously, a short order cook can find themselves becoming "executive chef" of one of Gordon Ramsay's restaurants??? It's just not right!

So it was with some apprehension that I opted to sample NBC's The Chopping Block. It seems to have all the right ingredients: world renowned chef with an attitude, eager contestants looking to open their own restaurant and to mix it up a bit, the judge for each challenge is a mystery guest. Sounds brilliant. Think part Last Restaurant Standing and part Top Chef's popular Restaurant Wars and that's what the Chopping Block is trying to create but much like communism, this concept looks great on paper but it doesn't translate too well in practice. I like Marco Pierre White. He's a more subdued Gordon and lest we forget he did make Mr. Ramsay cry. And I love the idea of the mystery judge but once again it's the contestants who ruin it all for me. They just have zero personality apart from uber bitchy Angela and the worst thing about them much like the girls on America's Next Top Model who can't name a single current supermodel, this idiots didn't even recognize esteemed food critic, Jeffrey Steingarten. Obviously they have never watched him on Iron Chef America or picked up a copy of Vogue. Things like this piss me off. These people don't really want it. They can't even be bothered to familiarize themselves with the big names in the field.

Will I continue to feast on this show? Yeah, I will keep nibbling just to see if the next course gets any better but I'm not sure we are going to be getting an invite for dinner next season though as I think this will be it for Marco and his lot. So is Chopping Block sating your appetite or leaving you starving? Let us know and Bon Appetit.

American Idol - Who won't be on the tour this summer?

Well, last night was just kind eh. There weren't any major train wrecks and there were any amazing performances either. Randy Travis was okay even though he sounded like an old fart when he claimed to have never seen a man wear nail polish before. Tonight, of course, is the hour long results show courtesy of my DVR so I don't have to be witness to the group medley or Ford commercial. After all, I wouldn't want my dinner coming up. We have special guests, Randy Travis, Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley to help round out the evening.

So, let's see who stayed and who went. After the usual drawn out recap of last night's show, the horrific group medley, four minute commercial break, the dreaded Ford commercial which involved a water balloon fight (they really are scraping the barrel this week and don't even ask me what they were singing because I have no clue what it was), Ryan draws out the segment even farther by reminding us of the Idol contest to win a trip to the finale which is then followed by a montage detailing what it's like when a contestant is voted off the show. Will he get to it already??? Now, he's asking them questions and we hear Michael's sob story that his daughter thinks he doesn't love her any more. I just realized that this season there are quite a few parents on the show: Michael, Megan, Alexis, Lil Rounds. That should make for quite a packed tour bus what with all the kids in tow.

Finally after 18 minutes, Danny is the first one to join the summer tour. Lil is up next and she's packing her bags for the tour too. Anoop redeemed himself and now we can all go and see him being awkward on the road, he's safe. It's between Michael and my girl, Allison. Hmmm.... I have a bad feeling that my girl might just be in danger. And I am right. I knew middle America come through for Michael. I still think Allison is safe though. She's just too damn talented to go home yet. Wait, Ryan throws us a curveball and Michael is also in the bottom 3. WTF????

After 5 minutes of commercials with which to reflect on the news that Allison and Michael are up for possible elimination, we find out that Scott is safe. Are you curious like I am to see how Scott is going to fare with any dance routines they might give him? They can't just keep him behind the piano all of the time, can they? OK, Ryan tells Megan that she is safe. Matt is safe also. Kris is safe???? WTH!!! I just don't get it!!!!

My boy Adam is pitted against Alexis. I am thinking Adam will be in the bottom 3 because America is not quite ready for an American Idol who is a bit different and edgy but I also thought that Alexis' performance last night wasn't that great so I'm not sure how this is going to pan out. It's Pinkie. My boy is safe but still I am not getting tonight's bottom 3. It should have been Scott, Kris and maybe Michael with Scott going home. WHEW! Allison is sent back to the sofa and has made the tour. That just leaves Michael and Alexis. Tough call really. Of course, we now have to wait another 20 minutes to find out the answer.

Following Carrie and Randy's duet, Ryan asks the judges if they have considered saving either Alexis or Michael and Simon says that they have had that conversation and that there is a possibility it could be done tonight. Of course with seven minutes left to go, they break for yet more commercials. It really is out of control and should be a thirty minute show instead of 25 minutes of commercials with some smattering of results. The moment finally arrives and it's Alexis going home! I am speechless. I was sure she was going to be in it for a lot longer. Now it's up to her to sing her heart out and prove to the judges that they should save her tonight as they have already discussed. Unfortunately, you can see and hear the panic in her voice. I hate to say it but I think she just lost her chance at an appeal and I am right. The judges were unanimous and they are keeping their pass for another week.

I guess all of those stories floating around the internet about the show being fixed were wrong as they had Alexis staying until the final 4.

So what did you think??? Were they right not to use the save tonight? Should it have been Michael instead???

American Idol - The Top 11

There are weeks during American Idol where even I question my sanity. Don't get me wrong, I can appreciate country music just like the next person but why do we have to have an entire night from the Grand Ole Opry??? Sure, I understand that we need to see how all of the contestants handle all genres of music and of course, tomorrow night's special guest is former Idol winner, Carrie Underwood who has proven a huge success, so it makes sense. I think it would have been a cooler idea to have done an Irish theme night in honor of St. Patrick's Day. Can you imagine the group medley consisting of U2 and The Pogues with all of the contestants dressed as leprechauns???

So, let's get this knee slappin' hoedown started!


Well, it looks like we are going back to Idol seasons of yore with this week's addition of Randy Travis acting as mentor. I am already positive that he will expound that this season is the best so far. It's been said ad nauseum every season so why not.

Let me just say that I am not familiar with most of these songs so I am calling them as I see it. Can I also say I am just not digging Kara at all. She just looks so plastic and like Randy, she tends to have the same critiques of people. I'm hoping she's not brought back next season. Hell, I would rather see Brian Dunkleman back on the show than have to see this chick.

Good ole boy, Michael Sarver, kicks off the night with Garth Brooks' Ain't Goin' Down til the Sun Comes Up. No matter how his performance goes, I think he will be safe. He's just what middle America needs - a blue collar worker with a family who can sing. Not a very good song choice for him. Far too wordy and doesn't show off his voice to its best ability but I think we have found his niche. I still maintain he will be safe despite the judges critiques. Not sure that Michael should have thrown in the cocky retort after the judges were done but the audience loves it so I'm not thinking he will suffer from it.

My girl, Alison Iraheta, is up next with another unknown for me, Patty Loveless' Blame It On Your Heart. She's AMAZING as I have come to expect. It just blows my mind that she's only sixteen! A definite safe bet for tomorrow night.

Kris Allen is up next with Garth Brooks' To Make You Feel My Love. Boring is all I can say. I know by the end of the show I will have no memory of his performance in the least. It was just uneventful. He can sing but provided us with nothing that caused me to take notice. I still think he has the face to get the votes but needs to develop some star quality. Turns out, my hearing must be to blame because the judges liked it a lot. I just don't get it in the least but what do I know.

Lil Rounds opted for Martina McBride's Independence Day. You can tell she's uncomfortable with this genre but, damn, the girl can sing and still show her personality regardless of the theme. I didn't like that Randy suggested that she should have opted for Dolly Parton's I Will Always Love You. Sure, it would have been the perfect safe and easy song choice for her but then they would have said that she was just taking the easy way out. Damned if you, damned if you don't but I still think she has nothing to worry about tonight.

When I hear Randy Travis say that he's nervous about Adam Lambert's Middle Eastern twist of Johnny Cash's iconic Ring of Fire, I am worried. Yet, as soon as he gets going, I am liking it - a lot! He totally gothed it up and made it most definitely his own but is America ready for an artsy Idol. Sadly, I think he might find himself in the bottom tomorrow night but he's getting my votes and as of right now, is this week's pick for causing me carpal tunnel!

Scott MacIntyre gets behind the piano yet again. I'm definitely thinking this is his crutch. When Randy Travis hears that Scott picked Wild Angels by Martina McBride. he even says this doesn't soung like a good idea. Another boring performance. Yes, Scott is talented what with being blind and being able to play the piano and sing but it's just so safe and clean. As Randy will more than likely say, "Dawg, you were pitchy in places," and I'd have to agree. Not sure how Scott will fare tomorrow night but I won't be voting for him. However, I do think he will get the pity vote because who honestly wants to vote out the blind guy but seriously, everyone needs to treat Scott just like every other contestant regardless of disability.

Alexis Grace is up next and Pinkie wisely picks Dolly Parton's Jolene. I just noticed that she is a bit of a lollipop head. She's damn skinny and the poofed hair makes her head look disproportionate but I digress. She does a decent job with the song but nothing wow about it which was a bit disappointing after last week's Dirty Diana but we have seen worse tonight so I think she can rest easy tonight.

Danny Gokey once again pulled at the heart strings with his choice of Carrie Underwood's Jesus Take the Wheel. It was a bit much for him to pick that song since he has said that he wants to move away from having his recently departed wife being brought up. It wasn't a great performance. The beginning was marred with nerves and some pitch problems but he can belt it out. Another one who can sleep well tonight.

Anoop Desai goes big this week with the iconic You Were Always On My Mind courtesy of Willie Nelson. I hate to admit it but it wasn't half bad considering I was expecting a complete train wreck. I still don't see what the fuss is about Anoop but I think he will be back next week.

Megan Corkery's choice of Patsy Cline's Walkin' After Midnight and Randy Travis calls it unique. After last week, I think we can expect that. I'm liking it and I don't think it will hurt her that she picked a cleavage plunging dress tonight but the girl has to stop moving. Definitely some notes that sounded off to me but I'm not hating it.

Matt Giraud proved once again that he has that Justin Timberlake vibe about him when he went with a risky choice of So Small from Carrie Underwood. He's definitely safe tonight.

My predictions:

Worthy of Carpal Tunnel - Adam!!!! I just loved the whole goth rendition!!!! Allison is also among the texting worthy

Bottom of the Pile - Sorry, Mike TV, but I have to go with Kris. He has the looks and can sing but just needs to find a personality! And Scott was just blah tonight.

So who are you voting for tonight? Who would you like to see go home?

American Idol Top 13 - Who got the boot?

Unlike any results show on American Idol, this recap will be straight to the point with no commercial breaks.

The first proper results show of the season was filled with the ubiquitous trainwreck that is the group number, (a medley of Michael Jackson songs) product placement (Fox are such Coke pushers) and what is becoming a trend this season of American Idol, another new twist. Basically, the twist is that the judges now have the power to save a contestant. Each week, they will have the booted contestant(s) sing one last time and will then debate amongst themselves whether they should stay or go. The vote must be unanimous and can only be used once prior to the Top 5. I like it! Let's face it there's not too many astonishing contestants this year so this will prohibit any form of Sanjaya/Jason Castro effect from taking over. If the judges do save someone, no one will go home that night but two will be eliminated at the next results show. We are also informed that next week two people will be going home, which makes me think that the "save a contestant" option will be used most definitely.

The following are immediately declared safe: Michael Sarver (didn't I predict that) and my girl Allison. Jasmine is called to center stage and is not safe tonight. I get it. Matt was another one of my safe bets that proved successful. Ryan then calls Kris and instantly he thought he was next to be declared unsafe. Did you see how he took a step forward? And rightly so, too! Megan is then called out and told that she's unsafe. So it's between Jasmine and Megan for the first one to receive the boot. Tough call really, sure Megan's performance last night was awkward to say the least but she does have the backing of VFTW so I could see her making it through to next week. Jasmine did redeem herself but still didn't give it her all. After the usual four minute commercial break, after all it is an hour show, we learn that Jasmine is out. She sings for the judges one more time and they huddle and come to the conclusion that it's the end of the road for her tonight.

Special guest Kanye West hits the stage. Not much of a fan so I just forward through.

Back to the results, the following can remain on the couch: Scott, Alexis, Danny. No shockers there. Anoop doesn't even have Ryan read his cue card and heads straight to center stage. At least, he's realistic. Adam is up and is told to sit right back down. So, now it's down to Jorge and Lil Rounds. I guess the producers didn't bother with any dramatic suspense there. Jorge joins Anoop. Tough call really, they both should be going home.

Of course, since there are almost 20 minutes left remaining until the end of the show, next up must be the other special guest, the original American Idol winner, Kelly Clarkson. Wow, when did she pack on the pounds? Too bad Celebrity Fit Club isn't still on the air, she would be perfect for it.

After what is hopefully the last commercial break of the night, Ryan is back to hand in the verdict. Well, it's adios to you, Jorge, back to Puerto Rico you go.

So what did you think? Did Jasmine's departure throw you for a loop? Would you have rather seen Anoop, Megan or Kris? Drop us a note and we will see you next week, same Idol time, same Idol channel.

American Idol The Top 13 - Who's worthy of carpal tunnel this week?

I will admit it I was once a Michael Jackson fan. Seriously, isn't everyone deep down? I even got to see him on the Victory tour as a kid and yes, I had not only a red sequined glove but also the heels to match. So, it is with extreme trepidation, that I am watching American Idol's Top 13 tackle Wacko Jacko's catalog tonight. I wonder which of the guys will be brave enough to do the Michael Crotch Grab??? I know Sanjaya would if he was up there.

Before we get to the show, can I just say this whole Top 13 thing is bugging the hell out of me? All I can think of is that not only were producers looking for a "surprise twist" this season for ratings but that, so far, the contestants have been so dull that they just couldn't choose who to allow to continue on the quest for pop stardom. And did you hear about the "sex scandal?" Turns out since they have never had the need for a 13th voting number thus the usual prefix 855-IDOLS13, dials you into a sex line. Let's just hope that the voice on the other end isn't Paula and Kara in a threesome with Randy. I shudder to even think what that would sound like! So if you are hitting the phone lines, it's 36 not 13. Everyone all together now, 866-IDOLS 3-6!

So, without any further nonsense, I bring you the Top 13.


Before anyone hits the stage, Simon informs us that that two people are going home tomorrow night thus the Top 13 will shrink down to the Top 11 like it should be for the second week of live shows. I like to see someone had sense. What I am not liking this week is the personal story footage!! I don't want to hear you have three kids, lost your home, can't see, lost your wife. Sure all very tragic but this is about singing not who has the more moving story. Unless there is some revealing shocking secret that we learn from these stories, I will not be reviewing, recapping or acknowledging this part of the show in the least.

Now that I have gotten that off my chest, Lil Rounds kicks off Michael Jackson night with The Way You Make Me Feel. She nails it effortlessly. I'm liking it and I will be bold enough to say Lil will be hanging around for quite a while to come.

Scott McIntyre takes his place behind the piano for his version of Keep the Faith. I have never heard of this song so I can't tell you if it was good, bad or just blah. If I remember from Hollywood week, Scott performed better when seated at the ivories so I think this is going to be a trend with him. It's not horrible but it's not that memorable in the least, apart from his high pitched squeals towards the end, which make me think that next week we might learn that he is a member of that ultra rare singing group known as the Castrati. I'm thinking Scott won't be moving off the couch tomorrow night.

Crowd favorite, Danny Okey, is up next with PYT. I really hated the intro to the song and was dreading it until he moved into the true tone of the song. The boy can sing but he just proved white boys in horn-rimmed glasses can and should not under any circumstance ~ dance! I felt uncomfortable watching it but he does have the voice. Another safe bet for the night.

Michael Sarver opts for You Are Not Alone. He has a great voice but just no "it" factor in the least. I do, however, think that middle America will love him. So, Michael, I proclaim you safe this week.

Jasmine Murray picks I'll Be There. I'm thinking she picked such a big song to help redeem her last performance. It's good, not wow, but good enough to see her through to next week, that's for sure.

Kris Allen chooses Remember the Time. As he sang I just kept thinking to myself that I don't remember him. He has the looks to make it through but the voice not so much. I'm thinking he might be in danger tomorrow night, however, it appears that this is the moment of the show where apparently my hearing isn't quite working as the judges liked it.

My girl, Allison Iraheta, is up next and I'm hoping my hearing has returned to normal as she takes on Give In To Me, not a song I am familiar with but she's working her magic. Bring on the carpal tunnel!!! She will be at the final at the Kodak without a doubt! AMAZING!

Anoop Desai, why is he here? I just don't get it at all. To make matters worse he picks Beat It. I really don't think I can watch this. Did he have to wear the Members Only jacket? At least he didn't opt for the red leather one. The boy's voice isn't horrid apart from the odd note but I just don't see him being a star and frankly felt like he was in his living room singing along to Rock Band. See you in that bottom 3 tomorrow night, my friend.

Jorge Nunez' decided to go with Never Can Say Goodbye. Well, I can. This was a snooze fest and what was with those stares into the camera. Another one for the bottom 3, tomorrow night.

Megan Corkrey, who has been one of my other early kind of favorites, surprises me by picking Rockin' Robin. I just would have never thought of that song for her but I am feeling like I should be at a wedding or in a bar. Vote for the Worst is backing her. I wouldn't say she was the worst of the evening but certainly not what I had hoped for. I hate to say it but she could be joining the likes of Jorge and Anoop tomorrow night.

Adam Lambert is up with Black or White. He's just such the professional. Perfect song choice, great styling, moves that prove that some white boys can move around on a stage without making an ass of themselves. Get those fingers ready for some carpal tunnel action. I'm seeing an Allison-Adam finale!

Matt Giraud picks the smart song choice, Human Nature. I hadn't notice before how much he looks like Justin Timberlake. I think he will be here for awhile. A very redeemful performance for him tonight

Alexis Grace aka Pinkie chooses perfectly with one of my personal favorites, Dirty Diana. I'm thinking I will definitely need to get the ice packs ready because after tonight's text votes, I am going to need them! She's not as good as Allison but definitely up in my top 3 for the night.

Worthy of Developing Carpal Tunnel ~ My AAA ~ Allison, Adam and Alexis

Throw Some Votes Their Way ~ Lil Rounds and Matt

Bottom of the Pile ~ Anoop, Kris, Jorge and Megan (sorry but this week was horrific)

So who are you voting for? Who is going home??

American Idol - Rounding out the Top 12, sorry Top 13

Finally the night I have been waiting for is here - the Wild Card round. I love that they just got right into the show. No horrid lipsynched group number! So let's see how they do. For the record, I am rooting for Jesse Langseth and Megan to kick up the estrogen levels of the finalists since we only have 3 females in the finals so far and I predict that Anoop is a shoo in. So on with the show.



Jesse is up first and I thought she nailed it with her rendition of Rufus' Tell Me Something Good. That's my girl! I think she might just get in!

Matt Giraud is up next and I didn't remember him at all when he took to the stage and was ready to dismiss him but I was very impressed with his take on the Jackson 5's Who's Loving You. I could see him making it to the finals.

My girl, Megan picked the brilliant song choice of KT Tunstall's Black Horse and the Cherry Tree. I absolutely loved it. Was it flawless? No, but she has all the makings for a future in this biz and if she cracks that top 12, she will be receiving many a text vote from me if she keeps doing her thing like she did tonight.

Von Smith is up next and was singing "what can I do to make you love me" and all I can think is stop singing for starters! And if that wasn't bad enough, he looked like he was constipated throughout the performance. As you can tell, I don't think his version of Elton John's Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word was good. See you, Von.

Jasmine Murray joins in with what is way too big of a song choice for her, Christina Aguilera's Reflection. I'm really not too sure why she was picked for the Wild Card round since her last performance was lackluster and she definitely didn't do herself any favors tonight.

Rick Braddy is back and must have thought he was performing at a wedding with his rendition of Stevie Wonder's Superstitous. This was so not good but apparently it's that old hearing problem that I seem to be developing if I am to listen to new judge Kara, who, by the way, I really don't care for, gush over this kid. I just don't see what Kara is exactly adding to the show. I never thought I would actually be a self-admitted Team Paula member but it turns out I am.

Tatiana del Toro is back and once again shocks us with the fact that despite she's barking mad, the girl can freaking sing. Not many people can tackle Whitney Houston's Saving All My Love and nail it as easily as she did. But as Paula and Simon point out, this is the third time she has performed it for them. Do I think producers added her to this round just for ratings? Absolutely. Did she deserve to come back based on talent? Yes. Will she make it through? No!

Oh no, Anoop Desai opts for Bobby Brown's My Perogative. This could be very uncomfortable to watch to say the least. Sure, he's having fun but I'm not loving it. I do think that the judges will put him through because they have loved him from the beginning and he was robbed during that first round and as some have insanely suggested he could ride the Slumdog Millionaire streak solely based on his ethnicity. I won't be too upset if he gets through to the finals though.

So who did the judges pick?

Jasmine Murray - WTF?!?!? I just don't get it apart from they think they can maybe model her to be a less talented version of Idol success story, Jennifer Hudson. I am not a happy camper to say the least.

OK, my mood was just lifted with not only Tatiana's tearful breakdown but the addition of my girl, Megan to the top 12!!!! WOO HOO!

Rounding out the top 12, Matt Giraud. I kind of saw this coming since he did kind of redeem himself this week a bit but I would surmise that he was picked more for his market ability than anything else. At least, it wasn't Rick Braddy who I thought they were going to go with.

And then they throw the curve ball that this year they are going with a top 13!! I was right Anoop proved to be such a favorite with the producers and judges that they changed the rules to accomodate him. This pissed me off since they told Jesse that she was a close runner up. Well then why didn't they just make it a top 14 and add her!!!

So there you have it, folks, our top 13. Who are you rooting for??? Let us know and we will see you next Tuesday for the proper start to this the eighth season of American Idol, chock full of commercial breaks, bad Ford product placements and those horrendous group numbers.

American Idol - The 3rd Dozen

It's Tuesday night which can mean only one thing, American Idol is on! Tonight, we are going to get to see what that last 12 of the original 36 finalists have on offer.



Von Smith kicks off the night and, honestly, I do not remember him in the least from the auditions or Hollywood week. Zero star quality from what I can immediately tell from his interview. He picks Marvin Gaye's You're All I Need and I am waiting for Captain Stubing and Gopher to show up and welcome me to the Love Boat because this guy's future will find him touring the high seas. The judges loved it, even comparing him to Clay Aikien which I didn't get either. Once again, I am reminded to make that appointment to have my hearing checked because I must be listening to someone else massacre Marvin.

OK, one of my biggest gripes with Idol is that they never stick to their word. Remember on day one of Hollywood week, Simon said that anyone who forgot their lyrics would be let go immediately, well, Taylor Vaifanua was one of the many, who flubbed their performance and still was spared the hook. She's up next and tackles Alicia Keyes' If I Got You. For me, it was just blah, no star quality and the voice wasn't that great. Truly, forgettable.

Alex Wagner-Trugman (now that's a mouthful) takes to the stage. Talk about the Clay Aiken effect, at least, Clay was endearing and had one hell of a voice. Alex looks like he's 12 and just has zero charisma. He opts for Elton John's That's Why They Call It The Blues. I've got to give him credit for giving it his own spin but he took it all too far with the overdone Joe Cocker impersonation complete with the knocking down of the mic stand. At least, Joe was usually drunk when he was on stage. I'm not sure how the vote will pan out for Alex especially since he's Vote for the Worst's pick this week. If these three are anything to go by, it's going to be a very long two hours tonight.

Well, doesn't Arianna Afsar fancy herself the little diva? Who actually utters on international TV that they don't want to just get through the competition because they're as cute as a button? Lucky for us, we won't be seeing Arianna any time soon. She went for Abba's The Winner Takes It All and went from button to bottom in the blink of an eye. That was just painful. Buh bye, button, I'm thinking you should maybe try out for one of those child pageant shows, after all you seem so concerned about people judging you solely on your looks.

I'll admit I don't remember Junot Joyner from the earlier rounds and I am not in the least bit familiar with The Plain White T's Hey There Delilah so I am at a lost as to what I feel about his performance. It felt safe and lackluster to me but after watching the train wrecks that have preceded him, I would say he's one of the better that we have seen tonight.

Kristen McNamara hits the stage with Tracy Chapman's Give Me One Reason and finally tonight, someone has peaked my interest. She has soul in her voice and stage presence, however, the arrangement is horrible and she is need of some styling tips, which she was woman enough to admit. As of this moment, Kristen will be getting my vote and is the front runner for one of the top 3 coveted spots tomorrow night.

I didn't care for Nathaniel Marshall from day one. He's just one of those over the top kids who takes things too many steps, too far. I get that he's gay living in a small town and I admire him for being out of the closet, but there's being camp with style and, then, there's the Nathaniel way complete with blue metallic headband. To add to the madness. he insanely picked Meatloaf's I Would Do Anything and butchers the hell out of it. Think bad karaoke and you get a small glimpse of how dreadful it was.

Finally, someone who can sing! Felicia Barton chose Alicia Keyes' No One and works it. I am noticing that the backing singers are actually distracting to almost all the performances. I also will state that Felicia will be coming back either from tomorrow's results show or the Wild Card round on Thursday.

Scott McIntyre is up next. Remember Scott? He's the blind piano player who is pretty damn talented. He belts out Bruce Hornsby's Mandolin Rain and has a few shaky moments but, for the most part, I would describe it as safe at most. I'm thinking the judges will bring him back on Thursday if he doesn't get through the voting process.

Isn't Kendall Beard just the sweet little thing. She goes with Martina McBride's This One's For The Girls and you can tell she's having a good time with it. Good song choice if you ask me, not too young, not too old. She's most definitely marketable in a safe blond kind of way, but I'm not entirely sure she will make it to the Top 12 especially when Paula tells her how great she looks tonight. When Paula starts commenting on your outfit, that's a definite sign that she wasn't that crazy about a performance. Time will tell.

From Puerto Rico, Jorge Nunez stands at the mic to sing Elton John's Don't Let the Sun Go Down and for me, his accent is detracting from the song but the boy can indeed sing. I give him props for not picking a Latin song or singing in Spanish but I'm not sure just how far he can make it in this competition. He will most probably get through tomorrow night.

Last Up Lil Rounds hits the stage and I have someone worthy of developing carpal tunnel for. The whole package and by far, the best of the night. She works her magic on Mary J Blige's Be Without You. Fantastic!

Our predictions for tomorrow night:

Top Female: Hands Down - Lil Rounds

Top Male: I'm going with Jorge Nunez despite the accent.

Runner Up: Felicia Barton

Honestly, apart from Lil Rounds, a very disappointing show tonight, don't you agree??

Next Move for Jason Mesnick aka The Bachelor: Tool Academy, Here He Comes

Well, we are watching, reading and listening to all the feedback from last night's finale of The Bachelor and just had a great idea for Jason and Molly's next foray in the reality television world. I'm thinking that VH1 should recruit them for the next season of Tool Academy! Seriously, he's such a pussy, douchebag, bad actor, loser of a man who always plays the "woe is me" card so why not put him up against other such twats!

If you aren't familiar with Tool Academy, it is basically the testosterone equivalent to that other VH1 trainwreck, Charm School. Take a group of guys who are under the impression that they are there to compete for the title of Mr. Awesome and then are met by their girlfriends where they are told that they have just been admitted into the Tool Academy where they will be transformed from tools to knights in shining armor. I bet George Bernard Shaw is rolling in his grave with this latest Pygmalion-inspired reality travesty.

What other shows should Molly and Jason aka the happy couple take part in. We would love to hear your thoughts.

The Bachelor aka The Schmuck Finale

So did you tune in tonight to see if all the spoilers and rumors were true?? Were you heartbroken for Melissa?? Is Jason Mesnick the biggest schmuck in the world? Did you think Molly appeared like a desperate bitch by taking this loser back??? Do you think it was all orchestrate by ABC? Was it Melissa's parents' reluctance to be apart of this circus the final straw? Will Ty be picked on in the school yard tomorrow at recess??

We are dying to know what you think!!! I still maintain that I will never trust someone with those white of teeth!

Celebrity Apprentice 2 aka The Trump Train Wreck

I used to be a fan of The Apprentice. After all, I am a reality TV watching whore, who has an evil streak and lives to see people wearing suits get berated by a comb over loving ginger on a weekly basis. However, I gave up on watching the show after it started to jump the shark back in 2007. I was so dismayed by it all, that I didn't even give its new rebranded series, The Celebrity Apprentice, a try last year. So last night with much hesitation, I thought I would check it out with an open mind. Well, needless to say, things did not go well and I lasted an entire 20 minutes before I deleted it off my DVR and chose to never mention this little experiment again but I felt it was my duty as a TV blogger to warn my readers to stay away from this train wrekc. It was HORRID! Sure, like most TV addicts, I enjoy watching a good train wreck just to see how it all plays out but I just couldn't do it this time.

Nothing is worse than a group of Z-list celebrities hanging on for dear life to any shred of a career that they might have left. And when I mean Z-list, a few examples from the show include Claudia Jordan, one of the models from Deal or No Deal and Khloe Kardashian, who from my own research could have only achieved any semblance of fame from selling her soul to the devil. Honestly, her dad was one of the lawyers from the OJ Simpson trial but apart from being on Keeping Up With the Kardashians, what exactly does she do apart from eating??? The only truly recognizable name is Joan Rivers. I would have said face but after all that plastic surgery, Joan is starting to resemble Jocelyn "Catwoman" Wildenstein with each passing minute.

So pipe in below in our handy dandy comment section and even if you think this is the greatest thing since sliced bread, we promise to hear you out and not utter the words that NBC should be saying to the Donald, "You're fired."

TV to Own: Week of March 2nd

Well, it looks as though those DVD distributors were aware that this is my birthday week and put out a whole host of my favorite shows for the occasion, which means there are a couple of Editor's Choices for this week.

Our first choice is the always hysterically politically incorrect Rick and Steve: The Happiest Gay Couple in All the World. As I have said before, this is the best animated series around. Also coming out in the US which I am dying to see is Hotel Babylon Series 3. Despite the cover of the DVD stating "As Seen On BBC America," the third series never aired in the States. So if you are looking to find out what mischief the staff get up to, I highly suggest grabbing a copy for yourself.

On with what's new on DVD this week

UK Releases on PAL:

Waterloo Road - Series 3 Part 1 - Autumn Term [DVD]

Victorian Farm [DVD] [2008]

Wire In The Blood VI - The Complete Sixth Series [DVD] [2008]

Peppa Pig - Stars [DVD] [2009]

Secret Diary Of A Call Girl - Series 2 [DVD] [2008]

Secret Diary Of A Call Girl - Series 1-2 [DVD] [2007]

Bewitched - Series 7 - Complete [DVD] [1970]

Burn Notice - Series 1 [DVD] [2007]

In Loving Memory - The Complete Series 1 [DVD] [1979]

Murder In Suburbia - Series 2 [DVD] [2005]

Now Thats What I Call Comedy The Absolute Very Best of Modern Comedy [DVD] [2009]

Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares USA [DVD]

Taggart - The 2009 Collection [DVD]

The Bill - Volume 2 [1986] [DVD]

Survivor Series 2008 (Steelbook) [DVD]

Dinotopia - Collectors Box Set [2002] [DVD]

New Releases in the US on NTSC:

7th Heaven: The Eighth Season

Chowder, Vol. 2

Doctor Who: The Key to Time (Special Collector's Edition)

Doctor Who: The Ribos Operation

Doctor Who: The Pirate Planet

Doctor Who: The Stones of Blood

Doctor Who: The Androids of Tara

Doctor Who: The Power of Kroll

Doctor Who: The Armageddon Factor

East of Eden

ER - The Complete Tenth Season

The Hills: The Complete Fourth Season

Hotel Babylon: Season 3

The Return of Man from U.N.C.L.E.

My Two Dads: Season One

Nash Bridges: The Second Season

Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares

Rick and Steve: The Complete Second Season

Smurfs, Vol. 1

SpongeBob SquarePants: SpongeBob vs. the Big One

Wildfire: Season 3