One more correct, and Vegas would have been calling me this morning. I got three right in my picks for “American Idol” contestants to go home last night, and let’s recap how we got there……

First, the awful group number we have to endure each week. This time it was the Black Eyed Peas’ “I Got a Feeling,” and as always it was just ridiculous. But hey, gotta stick to format, right?

Then Ryan Seacrest got right to the results, starting with the guys….Tim Urban, safe. Todrick Hall, you must wait a few minutes to find out your fate. Michael Lynche, safe. Casey James, safe. Down to John Park and Todrick. Todrick, you’re safe, and you can thank Ryan for making you sweat. John Park, you may now go home to your vocal group Purple Haze, and pursue the dream of marrying Shania Twain…though she might like you less after seeing you butcher your performances the last two weeks. And thanks to TiVo, I didn’t have to watch any of the exit performances last night.

On to the front row…..Lee Dewyze Stapp, safe. Aaron Kelly Archuleta, safe. Alex Lambert Deer in the Headlights, safe. Down to Andrew Garcia Gokey and Jermaine Sellers Onesie. I had picked Jermaine, and I think so did America after watching that whole “onesie” thing unfold Tuesday night. Andrew, safe, Jermaine, see ya.

Then this week’s former Idol performance was by none other than last season’s Danny Gokey, who sang his new single, “MY Best Days Are Ahead of Me.” Gokey’s new album on RCA Nashville just came out this past Tuesday, so he’s in full on pimp mode right now. The song? Eh. But Gokey is still awesome.

Back to the results, and the ladies. My picks to go home were Lacey and Haeley, but I noticed that both were in the front row. Uh-oh. Lilly Scott, safe. Paige Miles, safe. Katie Stevens, safe. Down to Didi Benami and Michelle Delamor. I suddenly realized that if you asked me to name the 20 remaining contestants without looking, I probably would have forgotten about Michelle. There you go…Didi, safe, Michelle, not safe. Of course, you can’t possibly get votes for singing a Creed song, can you?

Next row. Katelyn Epperly, safe. Crystal Bowersox, safe, and let’s give her props again for not only climbing from a hospital bed and onto the stage, but also for delivering the performance of the season so far. Siobhan Magnus, safe. So it was down to Haeley Vaughn and Lacey Brown. Ryan asked Simon who he thought would go home, and Simon copped out, saying it was “obvious.” Um, not it’s not, Simon, they were both awful on Wednesday. The one going home….Haeley! We don’t have to watch those teeth anymore, but we do have to endure the underwhelming Lacey Brown one more week.

So there you go, folks….John, Jermaine, Haeley and Michelle….see ya!

Your final 16, America: Andrew Garcia, Todrick Hall, Aaron Kelly, Casey James, Michael Lynche, Alex Lambert, Lee Dewyze, Tim Urban, Katelyn Epperly, Siobhan Magnus, Paige Miles, Lilly Scott, Crystal Bowersox, Lacey Brown, Didi Benami and Katie Stevens. Early Vegas picks to go home next week…..Todrick, Tim, Lacey and Didi.

What do you think? Hit me up in the space below and thanks for reading!

Yeah, “Ships passing in the night” is a weird title for a recap of “American Idol.” But what I mean is, some of the ladies’ performances on Wednesday were incredible or at least really good, while others were worse than last week. Some of the women keep climbing, while others are barely hanging on and risk falling off the ladder entirely tonight. Now that I’ve explained myself, let’s get on to the recap of the performances….

THE REALLY GOOD

Crystal Bowersox landed in the hospital Tuesday with an undisclosed illness that apparently almost forced her to resign from the competition. But not only did Crystal rebound and show up, she SHOWED UP. She chose Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Long As I Can See Light” and it bordered on mind-blowing. I haven’t been the biggest fan of Crystal until now, but I’ve consumed a few pitchers of the Kool-Aid. There is no pretense with Crystal–what you see is what you get, and that performance last night may vault her into the Top 5 or so all on its own. Randy said he loves that Crystal does what she does and doesn’t try to be anything or anyone else….Ellen said Crystal has pure, raw, natural talent….Kara said that not only did Crystal recover from the week before, but she hit a whole new level…and Simon said he appreciated that Crystal didn’t play the sympathy card, and that maybe the judges have underestimated her. He added that her vocals last night were “incredible.” Let’s just hope she didn’t peak too soon.

THE GOOD

Siobhan Magnus ended the show and bookended last night along with Crystal, the two of them having the best performances. Siobhan launched into a video about how she had a mohawk a few years ago while fronting a band, and how she does these weird “motorboat” things with her lips to help warm up. This girl is strange, but she’s also extremely likeable. Well, Siobhan took on Aretha Franklin’s “Think,” and we were all cringing, expecting nothing close to the original. But she got as close as you can get. Sure, the last note was phenomenal despite sounding like an Adam Lambert screech, but the overall performance was damn good. Randy said he couldn’t believe Siobhan picked Aretha, but that it was “dope”…..Ellen also loved it….Kara said she couldn’t believe the “note”….and Simon said that parts of it were terrible and parts of it were incredible, but that there is no doubt Siobhan is interesting and talented. Yep, she is still a dark horse here…or maybe more than a dark horse.

THE PRETTY GOOD

Lilly Scott took on Sam Cook’s “Change Is Gonna Come” and it was good, but I couldn’t help but feel like something was missing with the performance. As with the guys the night before though, Lilly looked even better because most of the performances were mediocre to bad. Randy said it was unique and his favorite of the night so far (she went 7th)….Ellen said that Lilly has “it” and that it was amazing….Kara said we’ve now had our first “moment” on the show. Um, no Kara, Crystal’s was the first “moment”….Simon said it was good, but he wasn’t as crazy about the performance as the other judges were, and he even said he liked Crystal better last night. Yes!

THE IN-BETWEEN

Katelyn Epperly played piano and did Coldplay’s “The Scientist.” It wasn’t horrible, but the tempo was super slow, and literally put Mrs. Mike to sleep. Randy said he liked it but that it was too slow and the last few notes were off pitch….Ellen said it was so slow she almost fell asleep (ha!)…..Kara said, “I kind of love you.” Um, for real? Katelyn was good, but I think for Kara to say that proves she is a bit delusional….Simon said the version was identical to Natasha Bedingfield’s, that it was a little corny but also that Katelyn was a million times better than last week.

Paige Miles said in her video that she likes to “color,” you know, like, in a coloring book. I think she’s in her mid-20’s, so yeah, that’s a little odd. Paige sang Kelly Clarkson’s “Walk Away” and it wasn’t bad but I found myself a bit bored by it. Randy commented that Kara actually wrote the song (of course she did…she writes all that pop schlock) and that he liked it but didn’t love it. Randy also said he didn’t like that the song had too many words and therefore Paige couldn’t showcase her voice….Ellen loved it and said Paige has one of the best voices in the competition….Kara said she could see Paige having a hit with the song (well duh, cha ching), but she didn’t like Paige’s interpretation of it….Simon said that he didn’t like it, and that for two straight weeks Paige has chosen the wrong song, and she can’t keep making bad decisions. Ouch.

THE PRETTY BAD

Katie Stevens was told last week to “get younger,” so she took on Corinne Bailey Rae’s “Put Your Records On” and the song was a bit too big for her and quite pitchy in spots. Randy said it had some bright moments and got better as it went along….Ellen said Katie has a great voice at just 17 years old but that she still wants Katie to pick “younger material”….Kara said she sees so much potential in Katie but that she was almost in the wrong key last night, and also that the song she chose was the kind of song that sounds better on the radio with all the production than it does on stage….and Simon said he was frustrated with Katie, because he knows she could do better and that last night she just was not very good.

Didi Benami also had a weird video clip, saying she “meows” to warm her voice up. There are so many snarky reactions going through my head right now, but I’ll just let the meowing speak for itself. Didi chose Bill Withers’ “Lean on Me,” a weird choice for her and one that made her sound like she was at a karaoke bar. It was also pretty pitchy in spots. Randy said it wasn’t a good choice and showed what Didi can’t do rather than what she can do…Ellen said she loves Didi’s voice and presence but that she also didn’t like the song choice…Kara said it wasn’t good and made reference to the karaoke bar, just like I had already written down (I swear!)….Simon said it was all over the place and screechy, and that he was frustrated with Didi at this point.

(ed. note–the frustration stems from the fact that the judges did a lousy job of choosing the Top 24….at least in several cases).

Michelle Delamor chose Creed’s “Arms Wide Open” and all I kept thinking is that it must be really hard to try and polish a turd. It also wasn’t a very good polishing job, and was quite pitchy. Randy said he liked Michelle’s outfit but not the song, and that she did not do enough with it….Ellen disagreed and thought Michelle DID do a lot with it….Kara said it was her favorite performance so far of Michelle’s and that it was believable (really?)….and Simon said he agreed with Kara. I am with Randy on this one.

THE REALLY BAD

Haeley Vaughn chose a song that mirrored her own youth–Miley Cyrus’ “The Climb.” Haeley’s next climb should be up the steps to an airplane, because this was horrible. Randy said it didn’t work for him, had no connection and that it was (to steal a Simon term) excruciating. Wow, I didn’t know the dawg could be so cruel, but he was right!…..Ellen said she didn’t feel a connection with the song, that it felt too “memorized”….Kara said it wasn’t good but that, just like Alex Lambert, people will be rooting for Haeley (um, I’m not sure about that, Kara). Kara then commented that Haeley maybe needs another year of seasoning. Well, duh! I am pretty sure I said that when they selected Haeley into the Top 24. I’m thinking about you right now, Shelby Dressel…..Simon called it a “complete and utter mess,” and added that it should have worked “in theory.” True!

Lacey Brown did a lousy job last week of Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide,” and after Kara suggested she try something like Sixpence None the Richer, Lacey chose “Kiss Me” by, um, Sixpence None the Richer. But it was off-time and extremely karaoke-ish. Lacey, I’m sorry, but you just don’t belong here. Randy said it was a good choice but like karaoke and too much like the original….Ellen said Lacey is adorable and that it was the right song….Kara said that Lacey had better tone this week but that she needs to “step it up”….and Simon said it was marginally better than last week, and that it was not memorable. He also said that there was a “massive difference” between Lacey and Crystal last night. A-freaking-men.

Okay, so overall, the ladies were a tad better than the guys. But there were some real polarizing performances last night. As for who will and should go home….look no further than my bottom two of Haeley and Lacey…but then again, I picked them both last week and was wrong. Other possibilities are Didi, Michelle, Paige and even Katelyn.

So my four picks to go home, officially….Haeley Vaughn, Lacey Brown, John Park, and Jermaine Sellers. And we’ll be back here tomorrow morning with a recap of the results….and of Danny Gokey’s return performance!

Last night on “American Idol,” the guys had to take their turn because Crystal Bowersox of the ladies’ contingent had to spend the night in the hospital with an undisclosed illness. The girls will sing tonight, and hopefully Crystal is feeling better and will be back on stage. As for the guys, though, it was another bland night, and they proved once again that the judges did an absolutely lousy job of picking the semi-finalists this year. A few of the guys improved from last week, and those that did looked very good based on the bar being set extremely low. Here is our take on the performances….

THE PRETTY GOOD

Michael Lynche kicked things off and instead of playing jangly white boy stuff, he took on James Browns’ “This is a Man’s World.” No doubt, Michael is the only guy who could pull this song off, but for some reason I found myself a bit bored. I’m not sure if it was the song, which had long pauses in it, or Mike’s interpretation of it. The judges loved it, though, and it was surely better than his Maroon 5 cover last week. Randy gave Michael a standing ovation (really, Randy?)…Ellen liked the song choice and said Michael established himself early as the one to beat (really Ellen?)…..Kara said she did not “get” Michael until last night…and Simon said it was a huge difference this week–a good song choice, not dated, and his best performance so far. Okay…he was good but not that good.

Alex Lambert, for my money, has the best voice among the guys. But he’s far from a seasoned performer, and has terrible stage fright that he just has to get over. Last night he took on John Legend’s “Everybody Knows,” and he looked much more comfortable up there. However, his vocal performance this week wasn’t as good as last week’s James Morrison tune. Oh, and Alex freaked us all out by mentioning that he has made up his own language. Yikes, that is really weird. Anyway, Randy said it was a big improvement and not at all a “soundalike”….Ellen made another banana reference, saying it was like Alex put the banana in a paper bag to ripen it faster, likening that to his performance. Okay, whatever. Ellen added that he has a great voice under that mullet. Ha…and Ellen gets line of the night for that….Kara said that Alex has a very recordable voice and that many are probably rooting for him….and Simon said it was a million times better than last week, but that Alex needs to not be so nervous, and he needs to have a killer instinct to keep moving on in the competition. Agree completely.

Aaron Kelly gets on my nerves and I’m not quite sure why. But last night he did a much better job singing, with about as good a take on “My Girl” as a 16 year old boy can deliver. Randy said the first half of the song was brilliant but the second half not as good, but that overall it was 200% better than last week. Um, not quite, but okay….Ellen said Aaron looked much more comfortable up there and did a lot with the song…Kara agreed with Randy and Ellen…and Simon disagreed, saying it was “all over the place” and that Aaron is going backwards. I’m not sure I agree with that, but last week Simon praised the kid and I didn’t think he was all that.

Side note–how annoying is Ryan Seacrest and that banter after the judges make their comments? It’s starting to make me cringe. Dude, let the judges judge and don’t harp on it! If the show is too long, cut out 30 minutes of it!

Lee Dewyze closed the night, with Hinder’s “Lips of an Angel.” The song was right in Lee’s wheelhouse, as he has the perfect voice for what passes as album rock right now. Still, he didn’t do the best job with the song. He was better than several others last night, but really, this guy, a star? I don’t think so. Randy liked it despite a few pitch problems…..Ellen said she liked Lee’s passion and intensity….Kara said it was a big improvement from last week and that she could hear Lee on the radio (no doubt performing one of those crappy formulaic songs she writes)…and Simon said he thinks Lee has the best voice among the guys (really Simon?) but that he still looks terrified on stage. I’m not sure about that, but at least he has Simon in his corner.

THE IN-BETWEEN

Casey James brought out his electric guitar this time and did Gavin DeGraw’s “I Don’t Wanna Be.” It wasn’t horrible, but vocally it was pitchy in spots and let’s face it….Casey doesn’t have a great voice. But he sure can play lead guitar, something that was cool, but also made him look like less of a singer. Randy said he loved the playing but that it wasn’t he best vocal….Ellen said she loves the song and that Casey sounded great, but looked kind of stiff on stage….Kara said something about how they all know “the cougar’s a fan” but she thought he took “12 steps backwards” last night. I don’t agree with that, but I did think he was better last week….Simon agreed with Kara, however, saying Casey looked and sounded like a “rock star wannabe” last night. Ouch. Still, he’ll get plenty of votes.

Todrick Hall took on Tina Turner’s “What’s Love Got To Do With It?” and it was just okay starting out but got better in the second half when Todrick showed more emotion. Randy said it got better as it went along but that he still didn’t love it, and wants Todrick to “just sing” instead of trying to change the song up….Ellen said she liked how Todrick used his strength as a dancer to help him perform, but she didn’t like the song choice…Kara said it was okay but she didn’t like all the vocal runs Todrick did…….and Simon likened it to a “theme park performance,” which is one of the worst comments a judge can make. Todrick was okay, but that’s as far as I’ll go.

Andrew Garcia once again picked a bad song for him, James Morrison’s “You Give Me Something,” and he chose to not play guitar this week. Andrew didn’t do much with the arrangement, instead trying to just showcase his vocal ability, which is good, but he wowed everyone in Hollywood with a crazy acoustic version of Paula Abdul’s “Straight Up,” and has been regressing ever since. He did hit the high notes last night, though. Randy said it wasn’t the right vibe for Andrew and was pitchy, and that he knows Andrew can do way better….Ellen disagreed with Randy, saying she likes Andrew’s chances….Kara likes Andrew but said he set his own bar too high with that Paula song…and Simon said it’s not good that Andrew chose the wrong song two weeks in a row. Yep, pretty much.

THE NOT SO GOOD

John Park started out by telling everyone he fronts a vocal group back in Chicago called Purple Haze. Then, looking very plain in a t-shirt and jeans, sang John Mayer’s “Gravity.” It was as boring as the outfit he wore, and proof that John has absolutey no star charisma. Randy said there was nothing new or spicy about it, and that it was also pitchy in spots…..Ellen said it was a better choice than last week, but that it “needed soul”……Kara said it was way better than last week, but that John didn’t connect enough with the audience….and Simon said that Purple Haze may soon get their lead singer back, that it was a “so what” performance, and then he used the dreaded “forgettable” word. Ouch.

Jermaine Sellers talked about how he wears a “onesie” at home, and then they showed him walking around in it, basically pajamas with the feet….and Jermaine talked about being proud to “rock the onesie.” You’re kidding, dude, right? Anyway, Jermaine sang Marvin Gaye’s “Whats Going On?” and Marvin is one of those lofty talents who you just can’t replicate. It started out awful, but got a bit better as it went along. Randy said it was better than last week but that it still wasn’t great and too big of a song for Jermaine….Ellen said she loves Jermaine’s style, including the onesie, but that this performance didn’t work for her….Kara said the performance sounded forced….and Simon said he was frustrated and disappointed, that Jermaine played around with the song too much, to the point that it sounded cabaret-ish.

Tim Urban did Matt Nathanson’s “Come On Get Higher” with his guitar, and seeing this reminded me of how talented Matt Nathanson is. It was not nearly as good as the original, and very pitchy. Randy said he didn’t get it, that it was too karaoke-ish and not special….Ellen said Tim had no stage charisma nor a good voice but that he does have good looks….Kara liked the song choice but said Tim didn’t do enough to make it his own….and Simon said it was much better than last week and that he disagreed with the other judges, saying Tim was more “relevant” than the other guys last night. Really, Simon?

So there you have it…..I’d be really surprised if it’s not John and Jermaine going home this week, but Tim is a distinct possibility as is Todrick. But any of those guys could be eliminated and it wouldn’t bother me a bit. The crop this year really just isn’t very good…..hopefully the ladies will bring it tonight, but I’m not holding my breath, are you?

Well, I said this morning that I thought Jermaine should be the first guy getting booted off “American Idol” but that nothing would surprise me. Still, I was kind of surprised by a couple of the results tonight. Here is how it all went down…..

First, the awful group number….a jazzy, horrible song I think called “American Boy.” Blech. Most of the contestants looked bored, lost, or indifferent. Yes, it was epic bad.

Then, right to the results. Ryan Seacrest had the ladies sit in two rows on the stage. Siobhan was first, safe…..Haeley Vaughn…safe. No!!!!! I was sure she’d be ticketed home, but was wrong. Maybe next week…Michelle D’Alamor (who?), safe….Katelyn Epperly, safe…..down to Katie Stevens and Janell Wheeler. Ryan asked Randy Jackson which one he thought would be going home and Randy chickened out, saying it was too close to call. Um, duh, Randy….not in this case. Katie was safe….see ya Janell! Then Janell sang that Heart song again and dare I say it sounded better than Tuesday.

Alison Iraheta, one of last year’s finalists, came out and sang her new single, “Scars,” and she reminded all of the girls on stage what real pipes sound like. Man, can that girl sing. But what was up with that dress with wings? I’m not the type to pay attention to fashion, but when big black wings knock me in the head, I do.

Next up, front row….Paige Miles, safe…..Lacey Brown, safe. Nooooo!!!!….Lilly Scott, safe….Crystal Bowersox, safe….so it was down to Ashley Rodriguez and Didi Benami……Ryan asked Ellen what advice she would give them, and Ellen said something nice and gracious about this not being the end of their journey. So then, Didi was safe, Ashley, going home. Ryan then asked her, like a jackass, “WELL, what do you think?” She looked mighty annoyed and replied, “WELL, I think I’m gonna sing a song.” Ha! That was awesome. But I have to say, Ashley is so full of herself, and she really has nothing about her that says she can be her own artist, only a Jordin Sparks wanna-be. So see ya!

Then it was on to the guys….Michael Lynche, safe….John Park, safe. Noooooo!!!!! (are you sensing a pattern here? The second one in the row is always a shocker)…..Aaron Kelly, safe…..Todrick Hall, safe (take that, judges)….down to Tim Urban and Joe Munoz. Ryan asked Kara what she thought, and she said neither of these guys deserved to be going home. Okay….here we go…Tim, safe..Joe, going home. Tim looks shocked, but not as shocked as the rest of America….still, Joe really wasn’t a star.

Ryan then made the announcement about the April 21 “Idol Gives Back” episode, and then had last year’s winner, Kris Allen, talk about his recent trip to Haiti. Then Kris performed a super cool version of The Beatles’ “Let It Be,” of which you can download on iTunes with all proceeds going to relief efforts in Haiti. But after hearing Kris sing, and after hearing Kris follow Alison, I have to say…..these two put on a freaking clinic in how to sing and perform to the dudes and girls this season….and really, none of them are as talented as these two. Tonight was proof of it.

Back to the results…Casey James, safe….Jermaine Sellers, safe. Noooooo!!!!!! (I told you)…….Lee Dewyze, safe….Andrew Garcia, safe….so down to Tyler Grady and Alex Lambert. Ryan asks Simon what he thinks, and Simon says, that based purely on vocals, he thought Tyler would be the one to go home. Drum roll…..Alex is safe, Tyler going home. Alex is shocked, even more shocked than Tim, and I don’t blame him. I thought for sure Simon was wrong. Anyway, this just goes to show, this is a SINGING COMPETITION. Of course, Tyler took a shot at the judges on his way out, saying they gave him the criticism he needed last night, instead of during Hollywood week. Ha, nice one Grady.

So there you go…..Janell, Ashley, Joe and Tyler, going home. We still have much work to do to whittle the rest down…and a couple more three-days-of-Idol weeks to get there.

What do you think? Tell me in the space below and see you all next week!

Okay, folks. After seeing the crop of 24 semi-finalists in Season 9 of “American Idol,” I’m convinced that the judges are high. They call this the best group of singers ever? Um, far from it…I think it may be the worst crop in years, possibly the worst since the first couple of seasons. Every single contestant this year has at least one flaw, and most of them have multiple flaws and glaring weaknesses. Anyway, the guys sang last night, and honestly, most of them were pretty awful. But the judges selected a few to prop up even if they were just okay…maybe it’s the way the field is, but this is not good. Here is the recap of last night’s dude-fest:

THE PRETTY GOOD

Todrick Hall, 24, kicked off the night with a super cool and quirky version of Kelly Clarkson’s “Since U Been Gone.” Sure, he messed with the arrangement enough to make you wonder what he was singing, but that was part of the charm. I thought it was really good, especially going first. Most of all, it was a RISK, something most of the girls knew nothing about on Tuesday. Of course, the judges thought it was too much of a risk. Geez, they are hard to please, aren’t they? Ellen said Todrick is a great performr and she loved the risk, but the chorus was rough….Randy said it was too much of a risk and Todrick needs to focus on his singing…Kara agreed with Randy….and Simon said Todrick looked like a dancer trying to sing instead of the other way around, and he didn’t like the crazy arrangement. Whatever, he’s safe for at least one more week….I think.

Casey James sat down with his guitar and did a decent job with Bryan Adams’ “Heaven.” Of course, Kara was drooling so much that they needed a mop afterwards. I mean, her googly eyes were super googly. After professing her love again, Kara admitted that it was pitchy in spots but that Casey does have a good voice…..Randy said it was a great choice and he loves Casey’s voice….Simon said it was the right song, that Casey is honest and likeable, and that it was the best of the night (he went 11th)…..and Ellen said she could feel Kara undressing Casey with her eyes, but that he sounded great. Yep, pretty much.

Andrew Garcia, 24, is really talented and I am rooting for him. But he messed up last night by taking on what I think is one of the worst songs in the history of rock music, Fall Out Boy’s “Sugar We’re Going Down.” Seriously, do the lyrics to that song make any sense? Does it even have lyrics or just mumbling? Still, Andrew’s performance was a B-minus when most of everything else was C or worse. Simon said he was looking forward to Andrew’s performance but was disappointed….Kara said it was risky but too risky and wound up being a strange rendition….Randy agreed, saying the arrangement came out weird and that Andrew tried too hard….and Ellen said she is a fan but he was too serious last night. This dude is too good to be this cocky about his song choice.

THE IN BETWEEN

20 year old Joe Munoz, who looks like a cross between David Archuleta and Ben Stiller, but Hispanic, took on Jason Mraz’ “You and I Both,” and while I won’t hide the fact that I despise all things Mraz, it wasn’t all that bad. Forget that the producers hid this kid from us so far. Ellen said Joe looked comfortable on stage and sounded good…Randy said it wasn’t a great song choice but he liked Joe’s voice….Kara liked the song choice but said there were a few issues, and that he was the best so far (Joe went fifth)….and Simon said he doesn’t believe Joe is a star, and that this performance was safe and forgettable. Ouch. That last word hurts more than most words the judges can use.

20 year old Tyler Grady is a so-called “student” of classic rock, grabbing all of his moves from watching footage of Led Zeppelin and The Who, but he may not have the pipes to match his act. Tyler did The Guess Who’s “American Woman,” and it was at times pitchy, but not all that bad overall. Simon said it was memorable but not in a good way, and that his pretending to be a rock star thing is getting old…..Kara agreed with Simon…..Randy said it was too much style over subtance….and Ellen said it looked like Tyler was going through the motions, and that he needs to work on his singing more. A bit harsh, but I think Tyler is safe.

23 year old Lee Dewyze was selling paint in Chicago before landing in Hollywood, and chances are good he’ll never lift a paint can again. But I’m not sold on this guy, because there is way too much Scott Stapp in him. He does have a good voice technically, and he is likeable, but on Snow Patrol’s “Chasing Cars,” Lee was chasing the high notes too much. Ellen said it was a good choice and she likes Lee’s tone, but that he screams too much….Randy said he didn’t like the song choice and that it didn’t work for him….Kara said the song has too small a range for it to work for Lee….and Simon, oddly enough, thought it was the best of the night (Lee went 7th), and that he’s a good, natural singer. What?

Michael Lynche, 26, is a big dude. A big dude who is a personal trainer and can kick anyone’s ass in that building, save for some of Simon’s security guards. He can also eat anyone in the building. So Michael did another white boy cover, Maroon 5’s “This Love,” while strumming a guitar, and it looked weird but he sounded good enough. You really can’t not like Michael, but I don’t see him going the distance. Ellen said Michael has so much personality but had a few pitch problems….Randy liked Michael’s energy and persona….Kara said Michael brought the energy but was not “outrageously great”…..and Simon said he felt like he was watching the support act for the main performer, that he delivered very little with this performance and that he knows Michael can do better. Agreed!

19 year old Alex Lambert has Adam Lambert’s last name and little else. Alex sang James Morrison’s “Wonderful World” and it was vocally almost identical to the original version. And let’s be clear…James Morrison can sing his ass off, which means Alex Lambert can too. His tone is awesome. But here’s the problem…he looks like a mouse on stage singing for 30 million cats. Dude needs to corral his nerves, and fast…and if he does, he will be around for a few more weeks. But I don’t see that happening. Simon said it was extremely uncomfortable watching Alex, but that he likes his voice….Kara said it sounded just like James Morrison, and that it was both a problem and a huge compliment….Randy said he loves Alex’s tone but he needs more conviction on stage (ya think?)….and Ellen said she likes Alex and his mullet, and that he has a great voice, but she then likened him to an unripe banana. Okay, whatever. I know you’re all going to hate me for this, but I think Alex is safe this week.

THE BAD

Aaron Kelly, 16, sang Rascal Flatts’ “Here Comes Goodbye” and if there is anyone on here who is not cut out to be a star, it’s this kid. For me, it was one of the worst of the night…pitchy and karaoke-ish, but the judges tripped over themselves to praise him. Money must have exchanged hands here, it had to have. Simon said it was a good performance but that Aaron has to stop looking embarrassed…Kara said Aaron is her favorite kind of contestant (yeah, right Kara!!)….Randy said Aaron has pipes but that there were a few pitch issues…and Ellen said ditto to all of the above. Well here’s the thing….Aaron wasn’t that good, but there were a few worse than him last night, and only two need to be worse for him to hang around.

Tim Urban, 20, was a late replacement for this round after being cut in Hollywood, and for some strange reason he decided to not tell his family that he was asked back, and waited for them to find out watching on TV. Cruel, cruel, cruel. Anyway, I have made no bones about the fact that Tim was not better than guys like Thaddeus Johnson, but okay. Tim took on One Republic’s “Apologize,” and it had a few good moments, but he looked stiff on stage and was all over the place pitch-wise. Simon said they made the right decision the first time they sent Tim home, and that his vocals just were weak….Kara said the song swallowed Tim up the way she wants to swallow Casey James up (okay, I added that last part)….Randy said it was the wrong song for Tim, that he doesn’t have the natural falsetto to pull it off….and Ellen said it was a good choice but that Tim couldn’t hit the high notes. She added that girls will like him, and that could be true, but dude cannot sing.

21 year old John Park professed his love for Shania Twain, because Shania had fawned all over John in the initial auditions. Funny. But then John goes and sings “God Bless This Child,” followed by some weird reasoning that it’s for his parents that have debt problems or something. I think he meant that they need the money, so “God Bless This Child for being on ‘American Idol’ and let’s hope we can milk this thing!” Anyway, it was horrible. Simon said you need an incredible voice to pull off that song and John doesn’t have that….Kara agreed with Simon, calling it “loungy” and “indulgent”….Randy said it was weird, and too “old” of a song but that he likes John’s voice….and Ellen said she liked it but he won’t get the young girls’ vote. He may not get any votes, not even from his financially strapped family.

THE REALLY, REALLY BAD

Jermaine Sellers, who sings in church back home, should not be singing for anyone. At least he shouldn’t sing Oleta Adams’ “Get Here.” First of all, dude could not find the right key, but then as he hit high notes sounding like a cat in heat, I found myself wanting to switch over to the Olympics until Jermaine was done. Wow, was that ever bad. Ellen said she loves the song but that Jermaine pushed too hard and went off key…..Randy said it was a weird song choice and Jermaine tried to do too much….Kara said she thinks Jermaine can sing but that he didn’t show it last night….and Simon said it was too “old” of a song and that the screaming/screeching in the middle was really bad, bad enough that he thinks Jermaine “blew his opportunity.” Um, yes he did….and if he doesn’t go home tonight, well….really, nothing surprises me with this show, so I won’t be that surprised, I guess.

So there you have it…I’m saying Jermaine and John go home, with anyone not named Andrew or Casey a very real possibility as well.

My four going home…Jermaine, John, Haeley and Lacey.
What do you all think? Are you as disappointed as I am with these performances so far?