I told Mrs. Mike last night that the episode of “American Idol” that ended as she arrived home was the best episode of the show I’ve ever seen. And I mean the talent was all good…so good that trying to figure out who might go home was a major chore. Like J-Lo said, the voters are going to have to just pick their favorite and see where the chips fall. And I guess I can throw a few names out there but it’s going to be difficult. Here is how it all went down….

THE EXTRAORDINARY
There is only one contestant in this category, and that is Jacob Lusk. In the interview, Jimmy Iovine made note of the fact that he wants Jacob to tune down the screams and runs, and just sing the song. Jimmy felt Jacob would accomplish that with “You’re All I Need to Get By” (it was Motown night, by the way!). And Jimmy was right. It was so nice to see Jacob just sing, and boy can he do that, and save his runs for the end of the song. Steven went up on stage and hugged Jacob, saying into the mic, “Baby Luther!” Randy said Berry Gordy is watching this somewhere and saying, “Oh my God!” and J-Lo said that Jacob just moves people, and he certainly moved her as a judge. Yep.

THE EXTREMELY GOOD
Casey Abrams kicked off the night, which could be bad for some contestants, but not for Casey. He followed up last week’s Nirvana tune with a super cool version of Marvin Gaye’s “Heard it through the Grapevine.” It was kind of like that guy who sings the Dolly Madison “Snackin’ Dude” song, but the bottom line is it was very entertaining. Steven said Casey was the perfect entertainer; J-Lo said Casey is very original and there is no one out there like him right now; and Randy said he loves the fact that Casey is just always himself.

Stefano Langone, who Ryan Seacrest likes to refer to as “Ste-FA-no” in a horrible Italian accent, did Lionel Ritchie’s “Hello,” and it was a very nice, Stevie Wonder-ish version. And I think the reason it was as good as it was, is because he claimed to have never heard the song before this. His parents must not listen to light rock radio, and he couldn’t have seen David Cook do it in Season 7, or maybe he just wasn’t paying attention. J-Lo said she loves his voice but that Stefano isn’t quite putting personal feeling into his performances; Randy agreed, saying the feeling is the only thing missing from Stefano’s ability right now; and Steven said Stefano just needs to pull back a bit instead of trying to sing so hard, which is basically another way of saying what Jennifer said. But here’s the deal…it was really good.

Scotty McCreery I think is fast becoming a dark horse to win this thing. He did Stevie Wonder’s “For Once In My Life,” but somehow made it into a country version. I think I’ll call him Scotty Wonder. Steven said it was beautiful and that Scotty may cross over the way Glen Campbell did; J-Lo said it was a great version though not Scotty’s best vocal performance; and Randy agree it wasn’t Scotty’s strongest but he still loved it.

Pia Toscano also did a Stevie Wonder tune, “All In Love Is Fair,” and it was once again spectacular vocally. This girl, when she belts it, is stronger than any woman this show has had on. But then J-Lo said that while Pia “just killed us” vocally, she wants to see something other than a ballad; Randy completely agreed, saying it was phenomenal, but he also was tiring of her ballad choices; and Steven said Pia is the brighest star in the American Idol universe right now. That is exactly right.

Paul McDonald did Smokey Robinson’s “Tracks of My Tears,” but did his own version while playing the guitar. It was really great….Paul looked very comfortable and hey, he couldn’t do any weird herky-jerky dance moves. Randy said Paul is so unique and cool and he loved the version; Steven said Paul is different in the vein of Bob Dylan or Willie Nelson; and J-Lo said Paul is the most seasoned performer among this group and that all he needs is a producer.

Naima Adedapo did Martha and the Vandelas “Dancin’ in the Street” complete with interpretive African dance. And she just nailed it–everything about it. Steven said Naima is the total package; J-Lo said it was such and exciting performance and gave her goose bumps; and Randy said Naima is so smart and has the whole package.

James Durbin did Stevie Wonder’s (this group is fearless, isn’t it?) “Livin’ For the City” and it was just awesome. James closed out the night so he had the pimp slot, and he made the most of it, playing to the crowd after he finished, even doing a “backstep on stage. J-Lo said James is serious business, and incredible to watch; Randy said it was rough at the start but unbelievable; and Steven said James has a bit of crazy in him that he just loves.

THE GOOD BUT NOT AS GOOD AS EVERYONE ELSE
Thia Meghia turned in what I thought was her best performance with “Heat Wave.” I kept thinking, “Is she really 16?” Because her voice is so mature. Of course, it was the slightest bit pageant-y. J-Lo said she loved how Thia dug deeper this week but wants to see that even more; Randy said Thia took a chance but he also thinks she can do more; and Steven agreed with both other judges.

Lauren Alaina did “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” and said it was dedicated by some guys who said bad things to her a few weeks ago. Say what? Do I have to fly out there and beat some dudes senseless? Lauren is still one of my favorites, but I think she may get caught up in a sheer numbers game here. She did the song with a nice growl, and it was one of her best, but even so still not as great as most of the others last night. Steven said he loves that Lauren is just herself; J-Lo said the performance had so much attitude; and Randy said he loved the swagger.

Haley Reinhart did “You Really Got a Hold on Me” and it was nice as usual from her, with a trademark growl, but I thought for some reason there was something missing. Still, the judges loved it. Randy said it was rough to start out but turned into the Haley they all came to love in the first few rounds; Steven said it was beautiful; and J-Lo said that Haley has the most soul among the ladies that are left.

So there you have it. I know Haley is going to be pissed, because she always seems to be angry about being in the Bottom 3, but she will be there again. And that’s not a knock on her, but a testament to how amazing the field is. I think you’re going to see the three I have in my last category, with the possibility of Stefano or Paul landing there as well. In my mind, Casey, Jacob, Scotty, Pia, Naima and James should all be safe. Well, maybe not Naima but the other five for sure.

Thanks for reading everyone…let me know what you thought about last night and we’ll see you back here tomorrow with the results.

After the recap, a Motown medley and the obligatory Ford video (I confess to reading the sports page during all of this), Season 2 champ Ruben Studdard peformed his new single, “Together.” And judging by how big dude is, I think he may have been singing about his relationship with a cheeseburger. But that’s okay, because after the song as he was talking to Ryan Seacrest, Ruben lost about 10 pounds of sweat. Ewwwww.

On to the results. Adam Lambert, safe. Matt Giraud, bottom 3. Yikes…what the hell was America thinking? Admittedly, I didn’t think singing Marvin Gaye was smart, but Matt did a decent job with the song. Kris Allen and Lil Rounds, both safe. Michael Sarver, bottom 3.

Then came a creepy duet for the second straight week….Smokey Robinson and the hot and much younger Joss Stone. They sang “You’re the One For Me” and if you thought Randy Travis ogling Carrie Underwood was creepy, go watch this one again.

Then came more results. Allison Iraheta, Anoop Desai, and Danny Gokey, all safe. Scott McIntyre and Megan Joy Corkrey, one of you is in the Bottom 3. It’s Scott! Finally America is realizing that this dude is not a great singer, but also, why is Megan safe and Matt in the Bottom 3? Are you kidding me? Well, just as fast as Scott had time to be worried, Seacrest tells him he’s not going home this week, that it’s down to either Michael or Matt. America, you are poor judges of talent, I’m telling you right now.

Then came an amazing Motown medley by the great Stevie Wonder. I explain to Mrs. Mike that Stevie is one of maybe five people who, if I met them in person, I would crap my pants. Off the top of my head, some others would be Tiger Woods, Lebron James, and Joe Montana. I’ll get back to you on the fifth.

Now back to the results. The judges say that they would consider saving either Michael or Matt this week, using their new rule. The person with the lowest number of votes this week is….Michael! Thankfully, Matt is safe, and I am 99% sure the judges would have saved him anyway. So Michael has to sing for his life, and he does so fearlessly with the fitting “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg.” But unlike last week with Alexis Grace, the judges are taking a smoke break. Randy and Simon are whispering behind Kara and Paula, who are both dancing! After the song, Ryan asked for the verdict, and Simon says, “We haven’t decided yet.” Ryan says, “Um, there is another show on, you need to make a decision.” Simon defers to Paula, who defers back to Simon, who blurts out, “Okay, I’ll make the decision…Michael, you’re going home.”

Wow, that was uncomfortable. Paula, you need to focus on your job. Kara, you are getting more annoying each week too. I will hand it to the producers, they did a great thing with the format of the show, since the top talent made it to the finals, but this save thing, despite it being very new, is making it painful to watch the results. Sure, Michael deserved to go home this week, but they didn’t have to put him through all that to find out.

So that’s it….we have a short week as Idol returns to its regular time on Tuesday of next week. Megan, Scott…..I have to believe your plane tickets home are being printed as we speak. See you all on Wednesday…

What follows is a recap of last night’s Motown performances, with the great Smokey Robinson coaching the finalists, and the great Berry Gordy in attendance. Keep in mind these are grouped into the good, in-between and bad based on my opinion, not the judges.

THE REALLY GOOD

Allison Iraheta was in the pimp spot last night, and she hit a long fly ball that would have cleared two baseball fields. She sang “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” and I think we all keep forgetting Allison is just 16, because she has ridiculous pipes, and shows almost no signs of being nervous. Randy said it was “blazing hot,” Kara said “wow,” Paula said she looked fantastic and sounded awesome, through her Crayola mustache, and Simon said, through giggles, that it was one of Allison’s best performances yet. No, it WAS her best Simon…you were too busy acting like a 5 year old to notice. How in the world was Allison in the bottom 3 last week? Well, she shouldn’t be tonight.

THE PRETTY GOOD

Matt Giraud took on Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On.” Look, this is the exact song I was quoted in a Fox News article on, saying that no Idol hopeful should attempt it. But Matt actually did the song justice. I kept thinking he is no Marvin Gaye, but he did the best he could. Randy said it was challenging but that Matt did a nice job, Kara said she thinks all the girls watching liked it and that Matt is coming out of his shell, Paula said it was a nice job and Simon said it was a brilliant choice and a cool performance. Considering Matt went first, that’s pretty damn good.

Kris Allen strapped on his guitar and sang another Marvin Gaye song, “How Sweet It Is,” and while at times I felt like I was falling asleep, Kris really showed us why he’s here with a strong voice. Kara said Kris made his mark with his own version of the song, Paula said he’s coming into his own, Simon said it was a smart choice but that Kris just needs to start believing in himself, and Randy said Kris is hitting his stride.

Danny Gokey sang “Get Ready” and he was all over the stage, including some synchronized dancing with the backup singers….and he was awesome. Dude’s voice just gets stronger each week, and even though this wasn’t his best, Danny is a serious contender. Paula said Danny’s talent is undeniable, Simon thought it was clumsy and amateurish, Randy disagreed with Simon, saying he has a “dope voice,” and Kara said she loved Danny’s personality but that this performance was just good, not great.

THE IN-BETWEEN

Forgive me for not seeing stars when Adam Lambert takes the stage, but I think the judges as well as most of America see something in this kid that I don’t. If he didn’t look like a movie star there is just no way he’d be here. Actually Adam looked more like Elvis last night with his slicked back hair and slick suit. And he sang Smokey’s own “Tracks of My Tears.” It was a tender, on-pitch performance, but to me it was incredibly safe. Not to the judges. Kara said Adam is showing his artistry and that it was one of the best of the night, Paula said he’s in his own league, Simon said it WAS the best of the night, and Randy said it was undeniably hot. Guess what, Randy….I deny that it was hot!

Anoop Desai did another tender song, “Ooh Baby Baby,” to go along with last week’s “You Were Always on My Mind.” It was pretty good and he showed his strong vocal skills again, but to me it was kind of boring. Kara said it’s a hard song to sing and that Anoop is showing what a beautiful voice he has, Paula said he’s confident and has a sweet falsetto, Simon said it was a great vocal but that Anoop looked half asleep (I completely agree!), and Randy said it was good but that Anoop needs to bring more energy next time. And yes, there should be a next time.

Lil Rounds sang “Heat Wave” and while I love Lil, it was kind of awkward. It was pitchy in spots, too fast and not the type of song to showcase her awesome voice. Randy said Lil is a great singer but that this was not a great song choice, Kara said Lil looked great but that she didn’t nail the song (her dress was flimsy and she had a wig on), Paula said she disagreed with Kara, that she thought Lil DID nail it, and Simon said it was an authentic tribute but that it was a poor song choice. Simon also correctly pointed out that with Motown week, this could have been Lil’s “moment” with the proper song choice. I agree with that assessment as well.

THE BAD

Scott McIntyre came out with pink pants, prompting America to collectively break out into “who dressed him, a blind person?” jokes. Scott sang “You Can’t Hurry Love” and it was as close to karaoke as you can get without being karaoke. Paula said Scott brought something different to the song, Simon said it was not very good and that when Scott sang the line “How much more can I take?” Simon was thinking the same thing (props to Mrs. Mike for also pointing this out before Simon did), Randy agreed with Simon, saying it was a “hotel performance,” and Kara said she liked the song and the tempo but that Scott didn’t nail it.

Megan Joy Corkrey is starting to get on my nerves. She sang “For Once In My Life” in her weird style that is now over-done and getting old. And it just wasn’t very good. Randy said he liked Megan’s outfit but that the performance was bizarre and “a train wreck,” Kara said it was “not you” and that there were some bad notes, Paula said Megan has stunning beauty but that she chose the wrong song, and Simon agreed, saying Megan looked good but sounded horrible. And can we say something about that awful tattoo on her right arm? I mean, kudos to the tattoo artist, but it’s incredibly distracting.

Michael Sarver did “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg” and he’s going to be begging to stay on the show after a pretty bland, bordering on awful, performance. Paula even couldn’t say anything nice, likening it to a Vegas show, Simon said he couldn’t wait for it to end and that Michael has no chance of winning this thing (ouch!), Randy said the song was too big for Michael, and Kara said he didn’t show enough artistry. I’d be really surprised if Michael isn’t kicked off tonight.

So there you have it. I think it’s pretty clear cut that the bottom 3 will be Michael, Scott and Megan, and possibly Lil. Smokey will sing a duet with Joss Stone, and other performances will be by Ruben Studdard and the great Stevie Wonder! Wow, this is going to be awesome. Of course, there will an awful group performance, a dumb Ford video and some more uncomfortable banter between Ryan Seacrest and the judges. See you tomorrow with the results….