Someone wake me from this nightmare

The final cut...

Sanjaya Malakar and Sundance Head are the last two left and I'm praying that Sanjaya goes home.

But he doesn't. I feel like I'm in some kind of alternate universe. I mean, Sundance wasn't great last night, but c'mon... Sanjaya has sucked for three straight weeks now. If this blog wasn't part of my job, I'd stop watching after tonight. That's how completely disgusted I am right now.

The BIG announcement

So, it's time for the big announcement. Tonight is the show's 200th episode!!! No, that's not the big news, but still pretty cool, I guess.


The big announcement is that "American Idol" wants to give something back since America has transformed it from a talent search into the highest rated show on TV. So, the show is using its power to raise millions of dollars for the impoverished in Africa and here in the United States. they're calling it "Idol Gives Back." Ryan talks about how he and Simon traveled to Africa and everything they learned while they were there.


Simon says he'll never forget the trip, seeing the most appalling conditions he's ever seen and then meeting some of the nicest people he's ever met. He felt mixed emotions and says he's glad they can do something to help.

Ryan says that he, Randy, Simon and Paula will be visiting areas of the United States that are hit hardest by poverty, illiteracy and natural disasters. Randy will be traveling with Paula to New Orleans and throughout the Mississippi Basin to help people who are still suffering from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

So, the way it works is this... On April 24-25, "American Idol" will showcase two unprecedented television events. That Tuesday, they'll be down to the top 6 and the theme will be inspirational songs. After the performances, viewers will vote as usual, but on that night, "American Idol" sponsors Coke and AT&T and others will donate money for every vote cast. Ford will also contribute - details are coming soon on that.

That Wednesday, viewers will be given the opportunity to donate themselves over the phone or on the Internet.

Quincy Jones will be writing a special song for the top 6, Borat will be making a special appeal on the show. Also participating will be Gwen Stefani, Pink, Josh Groban, Michael Buble, Annie Lenox, and it's kind of unclear whether Bono is participating or whether he was just being quoted.

Another mistake for America

So Haley Scarnato and Sabrina Sloan are the only two girls left... My bet is Haley is going home.

I'm stunned. I don't even know what to say. Sabrina is way better than Haley - she's picked better songs, her voice is richer. I mean, I don't dislike Haley, but she definitely doesn't deserve to stay over Sabrina. What's going on America????

Goodbye to the train wreck

OK... so now they're on to the next cut.

Antonella Barba and Stephanie Edwards go up together but thank the Lord, they don't leave together.

Antonella is the next to go home and Stephanie is safe for another week.

I am thoroughly enjoying her final performance - I'm listening to every word, every flat note, every disastrous run, because I know I won't ever have to hear it again... It's glorious...

Carrie Underwood rocks

On to the next cut...

Melinda Doolittle and Brandon Rogers are up next and they are... safe.
Gina Glocksen and Chris Richardson go up together and they are... safe.

Ooh... maybe not time for a cut yet. it looks like they're cutting for a Carrie Underwood break.

She looks really, really thin, but she's just so stunningly beautiful. She sings "Wasted" and there's nothing really to say. She's awesome - I loved her from the very beginning two seasons ago and I think it's cool how successful she's been this year. Good for her.

Long Island leaves 'Idol'

Almost 37 million votes came in this week - it's crazy how many people watch this show and pick up the phones to support their favorites! I did not vote this week... I'm still mourning the loss of my Nick Pedro.

I was kind fo surprised to see Sundance be a little arrogant about his performance, especially given the fact that it wasn't a good performance. After Simon criticized his singing, Sundance says backstage, "That is a rock song and that is pretty much how it should have been sung, so I don't know if Simon's heard the song or not..." I don't understand why these contestants can't just accept the criticism, whether they agree with it or not. Just take it - after all, the judges don't make any decisions, America does.

But let's get right to the first cut, shall we?

Lakisha Jones and Blake Lewis are up first and they are... safe
Chris Sligh is... safe
Jordin Sparks is... safe
Phil Stacey is... safe and he's shocked.


Uh oh... Jared Cotter's up... I'm a little scared because I'd really like to see him in the top 12. I don't think he'll win, but it's always fun to root for the hometown boy.

Jared is... the first to go home tonight. I'm a little sad, simply because I really wanted one of those spots to go to Chris Richardson, but I can see why it's Jared. He just didn't put enough personality into his performances.

Finally not feeling stuck during the group song

Tonight's group song is "Stuck in the Middle With You" by Stealers Wheel and it's the first one I've really enjoyed. I love this song and I loved the arrangement. It was a fun way to start the night.

Jordin Sparks, again, has on the cutest dress - I don't know if they all look the same, which is why I love them all, but she always seems to be the best dressed, in my opinion. Phil Stacey, on the other hand, needs to try something else, because his hats just keep getting weirder and weirder.

I'm so glad Sanjaya got his hair back and I loved Sundance getting back to old school rock sound at the end of the song. It was great - really refreshing.

So, Carrie Underwood is performing later and don't forget the big announcement. i actually heard the big announcement a couple of hours ago and it's pretty interesting - but not sure it was worth all the hype this week.

Critic Picks: This week we're destined for greatness

Alright, I think it's fair to say that these here critics are moving up in the world.

While Jamshid has written extensively about checking out Web sites, like Votefortheworst and DialIdol, Eileen is clearly the most dedicated blogger (and likely 'Idol' watcher) of the group. Jonathan is out on vacation somewhere sunny (yes, we all hate him right about now), and yours truly, well, I tend to depend on my Magic 8 Ball and gut instincts. So far these instincts have not been all that accurate, as I'm in last place for voting, but a girl needs to believe in herself, right?

So, the three of us still enduring this frigid winter weather are back for another try.

Again, tell us who you think will say good-bye tonight in the comments section. When you're right and I'm wrong (although that will NEVER happen), I hereby give you the go ahead to publicly ridicule me (and only me) on this blog.

And without further ado, our picks:

Eileen Fredes (3 for 8)
Men: Sanjaya and Chris Richardson
Women: Antonella and Haley

Jamshid Mousavinezhad (3 for 8)
Men: Jared and Phil
Women: Haley and Stephanie

Anne Machalinski (2 for 8)
Men: Jared and Sanjaya
Women: Antonella and Haley

Jonathan McCarthy (3 for 8)
No votes this week. Relaxing in the sun.

The Next American Idol

Melinda Doolittle is hilarious - she talks about how her friends tell her she has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, but that she calls it "Equal opportunity" - like if she chews her food a certain number of times on one side of her mouth, she has to chew the same amount of times on the other or if she steps on a crack with one foot, she need to do it on the other foot, too. She says it's all about equality... I love how funny she is without even trying.

She sings "I'm a Woman" by I believe, Peggy Lee. The song has been sung by several people, including Reba McEntire and Bette Midler, but I'm pretty sure it's a Peggy Lee song. But please correct me if I'm wrong.

Either way, it should be known as a Melinda Doolittle song from now on. I think tonight, she managed to come out from underneath Lakisha's shadow and make this competition hers to lose. I mean, I have nothing negative to say, no critique, no opinion beyond knowing that she's the next American Idol. (and the fact that I loved her dress - she looked stunning in it)

Randy tells her she is a consummate pro - that she's ready to go in the studio and make a record. I sure wish she would... Paula gives her a standing ovation and tells her she is so likable and fantastic. Simon calls her a little tiger. He says he loves that she seems to be genuinely enjoying every moment of the Idol experience and that one million percent, she'd be there next week.



So my picks for this week are:
Guys: Sanjaya Malakar, Chris Richardson
Girls: Haley Scarnato, Antonella Barba (I've decided to go with principle - she just doesn't belong in the top 12, even if votefortheworst.com wants her there.)

The real Gina shows up

Lakisha Jones reveals to America that she is terrified of animals. Not just dogs or cats, but she says any kind of animal. She said that when she was younger she had a Doberman pinscher and a poodle and that her mom used to let them run through the house and she would hide behind doors to avoid them.

She takes on Whitney Houston's "I Have Nothing" and if you ask me, she comes real close to outsinging Whitney herself. She has such control of her voice - she knows when to soften it up and when to belt it out. And this song was a great choice because it really gave her the opportunity to show how much voice she's got hiding in there.

And again, I need to note - the girls look beautiful tonight - all of them. Lakisha did something different with her hair - it looks smoother and more styled - her makeup looks great and her dress really flatters her figure.

Randy tells her it was another great performance by the great Lakisha. Paula adds some compliments to the mix and Simon tells her that she brought passion, talent, believability and of course the 'Yo!' factor. And how sweet - he tells that tonight, she looks beautiful.


Gina Glocksen shares a couple of her lucky charms - Troll, Pickle and a pillow with her nieces and nephews on it.

She sings "Call Me When You're Sober" by Evanescence. Wow - talk about ballsy. Evanescence has a very distinct sound - not sure Gina can pull it off, especially while wearing a hot pink bra that can be seen through her shirt. Yes, I realize she probably did it on purpose, but I still don't like it.

To be honest, I think Evanescence comes pretty close to the image that I think Gina is trying to portray, so I'm kind of hoping she can really knock this one out because I am actually a big fan of her voice.

You know, I really liked it - not as good as Amy Lee, Evanescence's lead singer, but still pretty good - I hope the judges appreciate the diversity she's bringing to the show, because without her, these girls would all be cut from the same mold.

Randy likes it!!! He tells her he's glad to see that Gina has finally shown up - and tells her to keep the edginess. Paula tells her to watch the pitch but that she should stick to this style because it's what she does best. Simon tells her it's the first time he's seen her look comfortable and he tells her that she's a breath of fresh air and he really, really hopes she makes it through to the top 12. So do I...

I think I may have my picks for bottom 2

I think Haley Scarnato moved up a few notches in my book, simply because her revelation is that she used to be a gymnast. When I was little, I used to dream of being a gymnast, but by the time my parents could afford to get me in a gymnastics class, I was like 11 years old, and it was just too late. But even now, as I inch my way into my 30s, I still think it's so cool and I love that Haley chooses to share this part of her past with America.

She sings Faith Hill's "If My Heart Had Wings" and it's so much better than last week. I'm not sure it's good enough to save her this week, but it's a solid effort, I think. Unfortunately, with Haley, I think the problem is that there's just not much to say about her. Even now, I'm struggling for something to write, something about her voice or performance that stands out enough to merit a comment, but there really isn't anything. She's not bad, but she's just not as great as her competition.

Randy says it was OK, but that there was no pizazz, no 'Wow', no 'Yo!' Paula says nothing, really, just reverts back to telling her she looks great. Simon says it was horrible, like a terrible, ghastly high school musical performance. And the worst part about it, he tells her that halfway through her performance, he turned to Paula and told her that he doesn't even know Haley's name. Ouch...

Stephanie Edwards is up next and reveals that she has been singing since she was 3 years old, but that she would only sing for her parents. She says that she used to run and cry when asked to sing for anyone else and that people might find it surprising given how comfortable she is on the stage now.

I really liked Stephanie the first week - she was the first one up and she was so good, I immediately loved her. But then last week, she sang that horrid Beyonce song that was all over the place and I think her song choice so turned me off that I find myself dreading her performance tonight.

She sings "Sweet Thing" by Chaka Khan. Chaka Khan has such a huge voice - I'm not sure anyone can compare to her, so I'm a little nervous about how this is going to turn out. It's actually not too bad. My only concern is that by taking on songs by people like Chaka Khan and Beyonce and Alicia Keys, she will eventually be found lacking. And maybe it's just me, but while I think her voice is lovely, I'm not sure she's been able to establish her own personality in this competition yet. Certainly not in the same way that Lakisha or Melinda have.

Randy gives her an A for a valiant effort, but brings out the comparison, and as expected, tells her that next to Chaka Khan, she was just OK. Paula says she was near flawless, but that she fell behind in the music a bit, but that she did a great job. Simon says she has a tendency to go a little bit copycat and that they're trying to find her own individuality. But he still tells her that he thinks she's done enough to make it to the top 12.

I don't know - I think Haley and Stephanie both run the risk of leaving tomorrow. Of course, this is assuming that votefortheworst.com still has Antonella as their pick, because it's no big secret I'd love to see her go before anyone else.

Antonella the train wreck

Sabrina Sloan's revelation is that when she was in high school, she wanted to be the next Katie Couric. She hosted the school's weekly television show and got to interview her fellow students on campus.

She sings "Don't Let Go" by En Vogue and it starts off OK, but then she goes flat right before the chorus. I'm also quickly reminded of last week when Simon told her not to confuse power with shouting, because I feel like she's got them confused again. It's really not her best performance.

Is this week the first time the stylists have gotten to the contestants? Because I feel like Sabrina looks extra nice tonight, too. Her dress is cute, her curls seem more under control and her makeup just a little more perfect.

Randy says he's not crazy about her song choice, but that it was a solid performance. Paula says she has a gorgeous voice and that she looks beautiful. Simon says the performance lacked emotion - he says it was robotic, that she needs to inject personality. But despite the tiny critiques, they all quickly say "Yes!" when Ryan asks them if she deserves to be in the top 12.


One thing we didn't know about Antonella Barba is that she has been playing the violin since she was 4 years old. She played all through high school and still gives lessons when she's home from college during the summer. I must admit, that little bit of trivia actually helped redeem her a bit in my eyes. Given all the Internet hoopla, it wasn't too hard to form an opinion of Antonella - and not a good one, so hearing that she's been dedicated to music for so long kind of helped shine a better light on her.

Unfortunately, it can't help her singing voice. She sings Corinne Bailey-Rae's "Put Your Records On" and it's embarrassing how bad it is.

Now, I just need to quickly clarify something about my musical tastes and experience. First off, I need to state as clearly as I can that I am in no way a musical expert - I like the songs that I like, the artists that I like and I have no scientific formula for determining what they will be. I also don't usually follow artists, meaning one great song won't make me go crazy for a singer and have me rushing for the store to buy the album. I usually take a song at face value - rarely caring who sings it. If I like it, I'll listen to it, but very few names stick in my head.

Corinne Bailey-Rae is a name that is slowly beginning to stick in my head - haven't bought the album yet - but I like the soothing tone of her voice and the songs I've heard, I've thoroughly enjoyed. So you can imagine my horror to have Antonella virtually slaughter this song. She's so out of tune, you can hear the clashing between her and the backup singers. Her beauty just can't save her this time - and I'm not even going to comment on the hooker boots she's wearing...ugh.

Randy says it was pitchy and that he think she's a better singer than she thinks she is - she just hasn't shown it. I agree - she was great in the auditions, then just lost it completely. Paula says the song choice was good, but that she should avoid singing the low notes because her magic is in the higher range. Simon is speechless for a minute and then tells her that she's gone as far as she can go - that she is surrounded by some amazing girl singers and that he doesn't know how much more she can do. But he does pat her on the back about how she's handled the Internet photos and whatever...

She's a heartbreaker

So the show starts off a bit risque tonight with a joke about Paula Abdul being under the desk because she was getting something for Randy. It was hilarious, but maybe not for family viewing.

Anyway, moving along to the singing, Jordin starts off tonight by revealing to America that she is a huge football fan and that she, at one time, wanted to play football herself.

She sings Pat Benatar's "Heartbreaker" and, like last week and the week before, this first female performance is better than all the guys combined last night.

But before we get into her singing, I just have to say that she looks gorgeous tonight. It looks like the show's stylists have softened up her curls and it looks so nice. She looks older, more sophisticated, and I love her sense of style - tonight, she keeps it simple, and probably comfortable, with a pair of jeans and a nice top.

Her choice of song is perfect - it fits her personality and the strength of her voice. I think the song may have been too rough, too raw for some of the other girls, but she rocked it out - it just suited her.

Wait... did any of you catch this??? Her voice kept going even after the mic left her face. I'm wondering, was one of the backup singers singing that huge note at the end or what? I don't know - could be a little shady - I've watched it like four times now and you can clearly see that she ends the song, throws her hand down, taking the mic away, but the high note can still be heard for like a second or two afterward. Very strange... any thoughts on what could have happened?

Randy tells her it wasn't her best performance but still better than all the boys. Paula talks about her energy, tells her she's exploding and coming into her own artistry. Simon says it was a bit shrieky and manic, but that she will 100% be there next week.

Sligh was born to sing.

Chris Sligh should have saved the news about his wife for this week - that could have been the thing that would surprise us to know... OK, I'm just being mean. I think Chris is awesome and I'm actually looking forward to ending tonight's episode just as good as it began.

His surprising thing is the fact that he had very short hair for a long time and that just two years ago, he shaved his head completely bald. he also mentions that he's never had a perm - that the curls are all natural.

He sings "Wanna Be Loved" by DC Talk and it's like a breath of fresh air after being in a smoke-filled room. As expected, he closes the show with a bang - he's a great performer, a great singer. I'm not sure he's as versatile as Blake Lewis, but his voice is way bigger than Blake's, that's for sure.

I'm not crazy about the song - never heard it before, and unlike Blake's song, it didn't hold my interest, but that's OK, because his voice did. He'll be back next week and for many weeks after that, I'm sure - no worries here.

Randy also wasn't crazy about the song but he gives him the vocal prize of the night. Paula didn't like it, says she wants him to keep rising and this week was just middle of the road, but Randy is quick to say that it was probably just the song, and I agree. Simon liked the beginning of the song but that he shouted in the middle. But Simon tells him he has potential as Randy calls out in the background, "Song choice, song choice."

Phil Stacey had hair??

Shocker of the night!!! Phil Stacey reveals to America that he hasn't always been bald. He says he shaved his head in college and liked how it looked and he just never went back. Seeing that one picture of him with hair has changed my mind, though - I said last week that I wished he would let his hair grow - I think he's right - it doesn't look right. Although he still looks a bit gaunt to me, he looks way better bald than with hair.

He sings "I Need You" by LeAnn Rimes and it starts out really rough. I don't know if the register is too low for him or what, but it just sounds weird. It gets a little bit better in the chorus, but then he sounds like he's shouting a bit. It's like he's struggling to find a balance tonight.

I'm horribly disappointed because Phil's been pretty consistent so far - he really hasn't been bad yet and tonight, I feel like he dropped the ball a little bit.

Randy mentions the low notes and how weird they were - says it wasn't his best performance. Paula agrees and Simon says he didn't get it. Simon again mentions how disappointing the night has been and I can't disagree - no one, with the exception of Blake Lewis - has really done anything spectacular.

Nothing special here

Jared Cotter is up next and he's wearing quite the interesting outfit. All you Newsday readers will know what I mean tomorrow morning. Kevin Covais, Levittown's own Chicken Little and an "Idol" finalist last year, wore almost the exact outfit while singing out and about on Long Island sometime last year, and we happen to be running his photo in that outfit in tomorrow's paper. Just a strange coincidence, I guess.

Anyway, moving right along, Jared reveals to America that he played college basketball, Division 2, and that he was pretty good. Realizing he probably wouldn't make the NBA, he quit to do music.

He takes on Stevie Wonder tonight and sings, "If You Really Love Me." It starts off not so great - a bit shaky and uncertain. But he works it out and by the end of the song, it's good, although not fantastic.

I still think he's a little forgettable, but I'm rooting for him - it would be great to see him in the finals.

Randy says he gave a solid performance - that it was good. Paula says she thinks he needs to work on coloring up the way he sings - she says she thinks he sometimes shouts his way through a song... ouch...especially coming from Paula. Simon says it wasn't very original and that he's disappointed in general tonight, because he's not hearing the 'wow' factor.


The thing we don't know about Brandon Rogers is that he's a classical piano player. He says he started playing when he was 9, first by ear and then he learned to read music. He says he's a little rusty, but he still loves to play.

He sings "I Just Want to Celebrate" by Rare Earth, and it's way better than last week. He still has a couple of out of tune spots, but for the most part, he seems more confident, more comfortable. I'm still not crazy about him - he's come off as a bit full of himself at times, but he's redeemed himself a bit tonight with this performance, I think.

Randy says it was solid, but that he wasn't jumping up and down. Paula says it was pretty phenomenal. Simon says he doesn't think he represented himself well. he says that he had high hopes for Brandon because he is one of the better singers. He says Brandon should have chosen a more memorable song - that it didn't have enough of a hook.

Why won't Chris Richardson go away???

So, I said last week that I would have an open mind this week about Chris Richardson... I will try, I really will...

His big secret is that he used to play football in college and that he used to be chunky. First of all, big shocker about the football - he's got jock written all over him. As for the chunky thing, the pictures they showed of him did not show any chunk at all... I'm not sure where he carried the weight, but I didn't see any big difference.

Open mind, open mind, open mind... I'm struggling...

He sings Keith Urban's "Tonight I Wanna Cry," and while my first reaction is to say I don't like it, I'm trying hard to really listen. It's not great - maybe a bit too slow for him - he wobbles through parts of it and goes off key in spots.

Wait!!! He just did something - I don't know what it is, but for the first time in all the weeks that they've been showing this kid, I heard the similarity to Justin Timberlake in his voice... curses!!

OK, so it wasn't horrid, but it was not as good as previous weeks. I think he may be better off sticking to the faster, upbeat kind of songs.

I don't know what to say about Randy and his apparent love for Chris Richardson - it's bordering on ridiculous. For the third week in a row, he loves him. He must not be listening to the same guy I'm listening to, but whatever. Paula likes the song, says he adapted well. Simon says it was good, but not the best vocal they've heard. He says it was cutesy, and kind of nasally.

Poor, poor Sanjaya... and Sundance, too

The thing we don't know about Sanjaya Malakar is.... oh, there are just so many jokes, especially with that hair, but I'll let it go. What we don't know about him is that he can hula. I think the possibility exists that he's beginning to morph into his sister, who was cut during Hollywood week. He's quickly losing any chance of being taken seriously as a guy's guy. Last week's ponytail, this week's sleek new do and now the hula dancing.... c'mon.

He sings John Mayer's "Waiting on the World to Change." OK, so I have to admit, I've been singing along to this song in my car for weeks now, not knowing who sang it. I'm a little surprised it's a John Mayer song, but I'm not really familiar with his music, so I'm giving myself a break on this one.

Unfortunately for Sanjaya, I cannot offer him the same break. He's just not good this week. I feel like he's been getting worse every week and while he was in tune throughout the song, his voice just sounds so thin to me, like there's no real depth there, you know? It sounded like some young kid singing karaoke at a sweet sixteen or something. I don't know - I just feel like compared to the other guys, he just doesn't fit.

Randy says it didn't really have an energy and that when they first saw him, they saw something special, but that they haven't seen it since. He says it wasn't that great. Paula tells him to get out of his comfort zone but to keep the sincerity in his voice - huh?? Simon says it wasn't as ghastly as last week - but mentions his hula dancing and weird hair - thank God - I thought I was the only who found it ridiculous.

Sundance Head lets us in on a little secret - he says we would be surprised to know that he's really thin in real life - that he wears a fat suit on the show so that he can live a normal life as the super sexy, thin guy that he is, without being recognized, when he's at home. How funny is that? I chuckled, so at least he entertained me for a few seconds.

He sings "Jeremy" by Pearl Jam and I have to say, it's not great. He's trying way too hard to be a raw and hard-core rocker. Last season, Chris Daughtry did it with such ease, it's just that much easier to recognize an act now.

Plus, he's out of tune in some spots, clashing with the backup singers, and he's not really keeping time well. I feel bad for him - he's been up and down and up again... Hope he's prepared to fall one more time.

Randy says it was pitchy, but that he liked how he put in a Southern rock thing into a Pearl Jam song - that he appreciated him trying... Paula says he did really, really well. Simon said he lost his charm and that he went from being very good last week to being a very generic bar singer. Couldn't agree more... with Simon.

Blake mixes it up!!!

So Ryan says some huge announcement is coming up on Thursday - wonder what it could be. Has anyone heard anything? Also, just as a side note, what's happening to Sanjaya's hair? I can't believe they talked him into straightening it... yuck.

Anyway, this week's theme, so to speak, is revelations. The contestants are asked to reveal something about themselves. Could be interesting...

What we don't know about Blake Lewis is that he loves improv comedy, character acting and Halloween. He does a little bit as "Jimmy Walker Blue," a kind of redneck character that he created, and it's pretty funny.

This week he sings "All Mixed Up" by 311 and it's crazy how he continues to surprise and amaze me. He picks a totally different vibe this week - the song has a kind of hip-hop, reggae feel to it and he still knocks it out. He's done three completely different styles in these three weeks and in my opinion, has perfected them all. I think he's talented and entertaining and frankly, way more interesting to watch than any of the women. What a huge personality he has - he's just so full of character... I think he's just one of a kind and he's completely won me over. He's gone from being someone I barely remembered to being my absolute favorite in this competition.

Randy says that he loves how current the contestants seem to be this season and tell him that he didn't even recognize the song, but that he loved it, whatever it was. Paula also admits to not knowing the song, but that what was so great about it was that by listening to him sing it, she was interested, which is hard to do. Simon says he didn't understand a word he sang, but that Blake stands out - that he's an individual and that he will 100% be there next week.

Inside the Idol circus

If you can’t wait until Thursday night to find out who American Idol’s Top Twelve finalists will be, our special AI psychics can relieve you of the suspense. (Note: This information is not provided for betting purposes).

Of course, there are other sources that claim to have unique insights into how America will vote. Las Vegas, for example, has odds on everything from “How old will the American Idol 6 winner be?” to “Will a contestant throw up on stage during American Idol 6?”

According to one Vegas site, Lakisha Jones is the odds-on favorite to win, followed by Blake Lewis and then Sundance Head.

If you’d rather go a more ‘scientific’ route, DialIdol.com claims to use an analysis of busy signals to figure out how much support each contestant is getting from voters.

It has a mixed track record though—last week predicting only one of the four booted contestants (heck, even I was able to do that).

However, the site historically does a pretty good job of revealing which contestants have built big followings. Last year, it showed Taylor Hicks with a giant lead over everyone else, a lead that held up all the way through the finals.

This year, it has Melinda, Lakisha and Antonella out front for the women, and Sundance and Sanjaya out front for the guys. Which makes it less surprising that some contestants have managed to stick around despite less-than-stellar performances and reviews from the judges.

Votefortheworst might have something to do with how Antonella and Sundance have developed such big fan bases. It’s always worth checking out who the site’s thrown its muscle behind, as in past years it’s played a role in keeping the likes of Kellie Pickler, Kevin Covais, and Scott Savol around, perhaps past their rightful time.

The poster child for someone whose stay on AI long outlasted their abilities is, of course, Jasmine Trias, who rode the combination of rabid home state voting (Hawaii) and her significant non-singing charms to the final three.

If you wanna know which contestant has the most rabid, vote-500-times-a-night fans this year, check out how many messages everyone has under their name on FOX’s official AI discussion board

As has been true all season, Blake leads with 18,830 postings; followed by the controversial Antonella, wisecracking Chris Sligh, and intriguing Sanjaya.

None of this, of course, has much to do with pure singing ability to this point, in which case most impartial observers would put Lakisha and Melinda at the top of their list.

But as I keep saying—it’s American Idol, not American Singer. Part of the criteria for winning AI is the ability to get people excited, for whatever reason. (Maybe Britney should give the contestants a tutorial?)

As P.T. Barnum said, "I don't care what the newspapers say about me as long as they spell my name right."