We might be in for another surprise tonight, since
a lot of contestants changed it up this week. I'm excited to see the results, because I think they will tell us a lot about how people are voting now. Is it
merit- or performance-based week to week, or are people just voting for their predetermined favorites no matter what?
I have no idea.
Will America "give metal a chance," or will James be in the bottom three for the first time? Was Casey's intermittent snarling too scary for voters to get into his performance of "Nature Boy"? Was Stefano's performance of "End of the Road" enough to keep him out of the bottom three completely? Will Jacob be penalized for being the only person to listen to mentor Jimmy Iovine this week? MAYBE!
I'm sorry, I just think it's so funny that no one listened to the
American Idol mentor, and Jimmy Iovine was like, "harumph!" Then the judges were like, "good job! You've made us, and now your mentors, completely irrelevant!" Jimmy Iovine may be the only person left we can trust.
Because we sent Pia home last week (oops), 53 million votes came in this week. The Idols are performing in groups tonight, and I really like that. Lauren Alaina and Scotty McCreery are up first. I think the producers have discovered that these two kids are a winning combination. Scotty is so ridiculous, he makes Lauren look really sincere and unaffected. If I had the TV on mute, it would look like a weird, expensive talent show. But it SOUNDS great. I think you can also tell that Lauren is a little creeped out by Scotty, and avoids eye contact/physical interaction when she can.
James, Haley, Stefano, and Scotty are zombies for this week's Ford Music Video. Undead Scotty is even more terrifying than Living, Singing, Microphone Clawing Scotty. And Haley is the sexiest zombie? But you know what? In the end, even the undead love riding in a solid, American-made vehicle.
Casey and Haley are doing a jazzy duet. Haley looks really cute, and I'll be pretty sad if another girl goes home tonight, just because I'll have no fun fashion to look at (except for Paul and his rose suits). Haley sounds pretty good doing jazz, and I'd almost forgot she could do that. It was downright enjoyable. Do you think they're into each other?
Lauren and Scotty join Haley and Casey in the middle of the stage.
Scotty is safe, Lauren is safe, Casey is safe, and Haley is in the bottom three. But after that performance, I don't want Haley to go!
Here to "teach" the contestants some more "lessons," it's Rob Reiner. Whyyyyyy, why do these things happen? Why are the Top 8 forced to listen to celebrity stand-up? At least Rob Reiner brought up
From Justin to Kelly. NEVER FORGET.
Speaking of
From Justin to Kelly, Kelly Clarkson is here! I love Kelly Clarkson. Don't you think Lauren Alaina sort of has a Kelly Clarkson vibe? I thought I was watching Scotty and Lauren perform a duet again (no, I didn't). It's important we all know that Kelly Clarkson don't take no sh*t from Ryan Seacrest.
Singing a Simon and Garfunkel
Graduate remix (at least it's not the group number!), it's James, Paul, Stefano, and Jacob. They had trouble blending (Jacob is just too G.D. loud, and Paul doesn't really sing like anyone else), but it was pretty good. This is what Paul SHOULD have sung last night, then maybe he wouldn't be in the bottom three.
OH MY GOD PIA WAS IN THE AUDIENCE. HOW AWKWARD. Unless she got to sit next to Chaka Khan and Anita Baker.
Who else is in the bottom three? And who will be joining Pia in the audience next week?
James is safe, Stefano is in the bottom three (NOOOOO),
Jacob is safe, and Paul is in the bottom three. Ryan indicated that the tables have turned. I just feel bad for Stefano.
They pulled out all the stops/white ribbon dancers for Rihanna. My favorite part was the guitar solo, during which Rihanna played the air-guitar half-heartedly. It almost seemed like she was mocking him. "Blehhh look at me playing the guitar like a nobody!"
Time for the results! Ryan reminds us that only girls have gone home so far. But not tonight!
Haley is safe.
The first guy to leave American Idol is Paul McDonald. Stefano is safe, and Paul will no longer stumble all over the
Idol stage in his rose suits. He didn't even look very bummed out about it, confirming my suspicion that of all the finalists, Paul was possibly the least invested in this whole competition.
He leaves us with "Maggie Mae," the song that made us all like him before we realized he always sounds like that. Aww, that was mean. Good luck, Paul, get the band back together!
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