For the first time in weeks and weeks, there is an absolute, prohibitive favorite to be eliminated tonight on American Idol.  Thanks to one abysmal performance and another one scarred by forgotten lyrics, Jason Castro is probably on his way off the grand American Idol stage.  Some of you are probably thinking “it's about time.”  Fair enough.  Castro isn't your typical Idol performer – not blessed with a big voice, an upbeat personality or a rabid desire for stardom, Castro's ascension was more or less an anomaly.  That doesn't mean I don't like him, but I understand those who have been calling for his head.  Both John Kubicek and I are picking the dread-locked wonder to be eliminated tonight, and we discuss that and a whole boatload of other topics on our most recent edition of John vs. Oscar.

John and Oscar Elimination Prediction:
Jason Castro Going Home


As we have for the last few weeks, John and I tirelessly go through every performer and their relative merits in the podcast.  We are in agreement on most things, but there is always contention when it comes to little David Archuleta.  I ranked him first in my Top 4 Performance Rankings last night, despite my well-known hatred of his singing.  I did so because he did exactly what he needed to do, put on two performances that his fans ate up, and made himself look like the favorite to win the entire competition.  Still, John and I found time to ruthlessly pick apart his act.

The other big issue that came up was the seeming lack of talent in this year's Idol crop.  I'm of the opinion that the second American Idol opened the doors to singers who play instruments, the waters were instantly muddied.  You can't judge Brooke White the same way you judge Archuleta – it just doesn't make sense.  Nor can you make Castro sing Andrew Lloyd Webber and expect him to compete with Syesha Mercado.  There are people who are singers first and foremost, and then there are musicians who sing.  The gulf is wide, and has lessened the quality of actual singing this season.

Finally, with the general consensus being that the two Davids will meet in the finals, we pose the question: How can Syesha Mercado make it to the finals?  It's not an easy road, but we attempt to chart a path to victory that probably involves letting Michigan's votes count.

As always, I advise listening to the actual mp3 of our discussion to get the full gist of it all.

-Oscar Dahl, BuddyTV Senior Writer
(Image Courtesy of FOX)