Seeking Anonymous Blog Poster

Hello! I haven't posted on this blog for about 3 1/2 years, but got an e-mail yesterday from an anonymous reader. Here it was:

Have you ever considered publishing an e-book or guest authoring on other blogs?
I have a blog based upon on the same information you discuss
and would really like to have you share some stories/information.
I know my subscribers would appreciate your work.
If you're even remotely interested, feel free to shoot me
an email.

I may have some interest, but don't know how to e-mail you. Please send me your contact info to: asoenkeruona@gmail.com if you read this and we can chat further.

Thanks!
Aaron
aka Pool Boy

Susannah Searson Is Queen Of The World!

Idolites -

With Lee's taking of the Idol title, Susannah Searson is the winner of the Idol pool!

With the top 14 spots paying out, we actually ended up with 18 people in the money as five people tied for 14th place.

Here are the money winners:

1. Susannah Searson $300

2. Sherri Nichols $150

3. John Walker $100

4. Nancy Ging (2) $75

5T. Catherine Snarr $45

5T. Beth Shanaman $45

5T. Sue Rauda $45

8T. Gavin Fysh $30

8T. Christian Wiehl $30

10T. Anne Patella $22.50

10T. Steve Snarr $22.50

10T. Brad White $22.50

10T. Isabel DeVera $22.50

14T. Charlene Fysh $4.00

14T. Christopher Wiehl $4.00

14T. Leah Soenke Ruona $4.00

14T. Nancy Ging (1) $4.00

14T. Steve Fysh $4.00

I am still waiting on payment from the following:

* candrade

* paulandjoni

* eeemmm

* sugarplum

* eatsmart

* NoJo1

* NoJo2

* Ali Anderson

* Scott Anderson

That represents $90 of the pool winnings. I will wait to hear from the people above until I pay out the winners. If I don't hear back by 6/7 (when I return from a business trip), I will have to subtract the amount of money I haven't received from the total pot. I will try and do it evenly amongst all the winning slots.

...and now on to the show.

Being this was the finale, I decided to go old school, bullet-style format on my comments...enjoy!

• Seacrest opens the show with the two-handed mic hold again. What the hell is that?
• Lucky - "Why is Randy wearing that girly, man shirt with flowers and butterflies?"
• How many more times can Lee and Crystal say, "Incredible. Amazing. Journey."?
• Seacrest points out that over the entire season, Lee and Crystal are within less than 2% in total votes. He didn't say anything about how close last night's vote was. I'm guessing Lee won fairly handily, about 65% to 35%?
• Siobhan wins for best Catholic School outfit! Michael is the worst. I guess the store only makes them three sizes too small for him.
• Alice Cooper on Idol? Leah to Lucky - "The thing about Alice Cooper is that he's as normal as your father." Lucky - "But my father isn't normal." Nice!
• God Bless Kris Allen. He gave me a signed Christmas Card and by all accounts is one of the nicest guys in entertainment. That song sucked!
• Oh my! "How Deep Is Your Love?" continues a painful parade of washed up music acts. Barry's pot belly was holding on tightly in that satin shirt. He should give up some of those pounds to Robin, who looks completely anorexic.
• If you're going to bring on singers from the past, don;t you want to make sure they can still sing? Michael Lynche actually shows much respect to Michael McDonald, by not showing him up.
• Norman Gentle sighting! Prediction 1 correct!
• Loved Dane Cook's song to Simon...very funny!
• So what did Christina Aguilera do to earn a 3 song mini-concert? Despite the dumb hairdo and butt cheeks hanging out of her shorts, she sounds really good...and I don't even really like her.
• Ricky Gervais...yes!
• So I really picked a shy guy, with glasses like Harry Caray, limited vocal range and a neck tattoo from L.A. to win this thing? I'm an idiot.
• Hall & Oates! Well, at least Daryl Hall hasn't totally lost his voice (like most every act so far) and they both looked great.
• I love that Crystal's dad has a Mr. Bill doll in the front pocket of his black leather vest.
• ...and now Alanis Morisette! Very good duet with Crystal. Best of the night so far. They even cleaned up "You Outta Know", which Leah just pointed out is an inappropriate song for them to sing on Idol.
• Carrie Underwood, Queen of Idol, doesn't have to sing with anyone else.
• Brett Michaels...nice grab Idol producers! Possibly the hottest guy in entertainment right now. That may be the one and only time I actually enjoyed that song.
• The oldies keep coming with Chicago! Where's Peter Cetera? Boy, these high notes are not sounding too good...even from Lee. They'll be touring with the Doobie Brothers this Summer...really: www.chicagotheband.com/tour-dates/
• Pants On The Ground, the biggest song of Season 9. Ryan Seacrest just summed up everything wrong with this season. Way to go William Hung!!
• Paula...Prediction 2 correct (thanks Tony!). Wow, I totally forgot how much I missed her incoherrent rants. That feeling of being uncomfortable, not knowing what will come out of her mouth next, because you know she doesn't know either...ahhh!
• The Idol Song of Champions "Together We Are One". Wow, so perfectly cheesy. Where the hell is David Cook? Kelly Clarkson - WTF? Nice bra. Hey, Justin Guarini got his curly locks back! Kimberly Caldwell is looking quite slutty...nice! Simon doesn't cry...Prediction 3 wrong.
• The geriatric tour rolls on with Joe Cocker forgetting lyrics to his own song and screeching so sadly as Lee & Crystal look on.
• Seacrest is ready to announce the results and he goes right back to the two hand mic hold.
• Lee wins. Prediction 4 correct.
• Crystal's loss keeps the streak alive, as no favorite going into the Top 12 has ever won.
• Pool Boy writes his final Idol blog. Prediction likely correct.

Yes, I think I am pulling a Simon Cowell and bowing out. I can see me pulling a Brett Favre and deciding to give it another go next season, but at this point I feel like it's my time. With a new job that finds me on the road, two kids with increasingly busy schedules, and a fading passion for all that is Idol, I think it may be the time to hang it up.

I will get with James about keeping the pool portion alive on his website, so we all may still wager on Idol 10, but the blogging and commentary are most likely done.

Thanks to everyone for all your support and lively retorts. I'll get the winnings out the week of 6/7. Hopefully, everyone will pay.

Pool Boy Out....for good!

Crystal Dominates, But Won't Win

Idolites -

Well, it came down to the big, 3 song night for Crystal and Lee and Crystal pulled out all the stops. Usually the finale ends up being somewhat of a letdown in terms of performances. The song choices are generally not good and the contestants tend to be a bit nervous.

That was still the case last night to a large degree, but Crystal was able to pull out one of the best performances of the season to cap the show and give her a glimmer of hope at taking down the Idol title.

Before I get to the performances, did anyone else notice that Seacrest kept holding his microphone with two hands all night? He looked like Aaron Kelly singing in the early weeks.

LEE #1 - "The Boxer" Let me say right off the bat that I hate the fact that every season finale, they have the contestants sing a song they have already done during the season. It's a no win situation. The reason we like a performance is because it takes us by surprise and has an element of emotion that cannot be recreated weeks later. Lee did an OK job with this song last night. As the judges said, however, he seemed a bit reserved and holding back. He did seem pretty nervous.

CRYSTAL #1 - "Me & Bobby McGee" Sigh. Again, it just seemed a bit forced. Crystal definitely did a better job with her encore performance than Lee. She showed the passion we haven't seen much of over the season. In short, you can tell that she really wants to win this thing.

LEE #2 - "Everybody Hurts" The producers song choice is always the best one. Lee did a nice job...much better than the first song...but still seems a bit 'deer in the headlights' to me. One thing is certain...Simon LOVES Lee. I think Simon wants Lee to win more than Lee does. He can't bring himself to say anything negative about him. In fact, I noticed last night that for the first time in Finale history, Simon didn't declare a 'Winner' after each round of songs. I think because he knew Lee was getting killed and didn't want to bring him down or cost him votes.

CRYSTAL #2 - "Black Velvet" So, the song itself seemed like a good choice for Crystal. However, they stick her with a heavy metal version of the song. Then, they have her dress up in a too-tight, black satin dress with (way too) high heels. She looked terrified as she waddled down the huge staircase, looking down at each step. The producers did her no favors on this one. The judges were excited, but to me it didn't capture Crystal as an artist at all. Thus, I really didn't enjoy it at all. Simon was also correct in saying the song itself has been way overused on the show.

LEE #3 - "Beautiful Day" Alrighty then! The producers finally figured out (it only took 8 seasons) that the Idol's first single always sucks. They've tried songwriting contests and even threw Kara under the bus last year, but the song never works. Someone got smart and decided to let the contestants do a cover of an already successful song that actually fits their vocal style. The only problem with this song is that it didn't fit Lee's vocal style at all. It felt like he was overreaching on many of the notes and never really got comfortable. Simon, however, bailed him out again, telling him what a great guy he is.

CRYSTAL #3 - "Up To The Mountain" Fantastic song choice! Interesting that this song is also on Susan Boyle's debut album, but when you find something good, I guess you roll with it. For me, that performance was total Crystal. It was her style of song, she was dressed like she would dress and she was able to just sit, play and sing, which is what she does best. One of the top performances I've seen in the finale show.

After Crystal finished her dominating performances last night, I was actually thinking that she may have a chance to win. If the winner were determined by the last performances, then we'd be looking at Crystal as the next Idol for sure. I just think Lee had too much momentum going into this week. Plus, with Casey being eliminated, I think many of his votes would swing to Lee anyway.

PREDICTIONS:

• Lee will win.
• Paula Abdul will be on the show tonight (thanks Tony!).
• Norman Gentle will be on the show tonight (he recently recorded a farewell song to Simon, so I have a hunch).
• There will be two or three cheesy medleys by the Top 12.
• Seacrest will do or say at least three things that will make the audience uncomfortable.
• Simon will shed a tear.
• Tomorrow will be Pool Boy's last Idol blog....ever.

Enjoy the Finale tonight!

Pool Boy Out

Shocker - Casey Goes Home!

Idolites -

The nice part about last night's results show was that we weren't subjected to too many bad musical performances...OK, we did have to sit through Justin Bieber & Travis Garland...yuck (but that's what the DVR is for, yes?).

I was actually getting teary-eyed while watching the contestants go on their visits home. It really is amazing to see their reactions to the immense fame they now have. I think they become fairly insulated during the competition, so when you see how blown away they are when they return home and realize their lives will never be the same, it's quite touching.

I was especially moved by Lee. I think one of the reasons Lee has done so well...and will win...is because he truly came out of nowhere. I think deep down, that's what the viewers of the show really appreciate. The Caseys, Crystals, and heck, even Adam Lamberts of the world that have been working at singing as a career don't relate to the common viewer, as most people don't pursue music as a career.

The thought of trying out for Idol, because someone said you have a good voice and then becoming a star in front of America is a big reason people watch this show. Lee's visit home really solidified this view for me.

I was impressed with Casey's grace last night. I thought it would have been really hilarious if he would have taken off his shirt and sang directly to Kara. Of course, that's why he's a much better man than I am.

So it's Lee Vs. Crystal. Be sure to vote on who you think will win.

For those who are local, we are passing on having an Idol Finale party this year. There is an outside chance I may be traveling next week, so I didn't want to put any extra burden on Leah.

I'll have an update on the payment situation by this weekend. Thanks to all those who have sent their fees in and/or have it coming to me.

As for the pool, Susannah Searson has taken the lead by 2 points over Sherri Nichols and Catherine Snarr. The title will be Susannah's if Lee wins and Catherine's if Crystal wins.

Good luck to you both!

Pool Boy Out

OK, Fox, It's Lee vs. Crystal!

Idolites -

Well, the producers of Idol couldn't have been more clear as to who they want in the Finale next week. I was feeling kind of bad for Casey for awhile, but realized how far he has gotten and understand that he'll be just fine.

Pool guru, James Munger, e-mailed me last week saying how interesting it was that Casey James has pretty much ignored the judges all along. He has done his own thing, played feel-good, guitar heavy songs, yet has still ended up in the Final 3...quite admirable. I mean, the judges often circle back to the phrase "this is a singing competition". However, when they let contestants start playing instruments, it has become much more than that. They can say it's all about how well you can sing, but there is no telling a voter they can't vote for Casey because he's cute and plays a really mean guitar.

That being said, Casey was given an uphill challenge last night. He was asked to sing first, which is always more difficult. Then, Kara & Randy screwed him over by picking "Daughters" by John Mayer as his final song. Top it off with overt gushing over Crystal & Lee by (of all people) Simon and Casey will find himself going home tonight.

When you look back at past final 3's, you often find that the 3rd place finisher was a pretty obvious choice when you got down to 3. I mean, there was really no way that Nikki McKibbon, Kimberly Locke, Jasmine Trias, Vonzell Solomon, Elliot Yamin, or Syesha Mercado were going to the finals, much less win. Melinda Doolittle & Danny Gokey were the only third place finishers that had a realistic chance of being in the final 2. Casey will be a nice addition to this group.

Yes, Casey will finish 3rd. I guarantee it. The Southern vote will not save him. Plus, Lee will become the first contestant to become Idol by beating a contestant that is from a city farther East of him. Yes, I said Lee will win.

...on to the show...

CASEY #1 - "OK, It's Alright With Me" Classic Casey! A feel good, Southern rock song while hanging out in the bar. Casey owns this category, along with all of the cougars at that bar. I think they will be too drunk to dial on enough votes, though.

CRYSTAL #1 - "Come To My Window" As always, Crystal is good. This song just seemed SO obvious. With very little done to the arrangement, it sounded (to me) like a really good karaoke version of that song. That's the one thing about the final 3, there is no question who each of them are as an artist.

LEE #1 - "Simple Man" Lee must know about the Southern vote. Since he cannot all of a sudden be from the South, he channels the ultimate Southern rock band in Lynrd Skynrd. Best performance so far...by far. He really looked confident and ready to complete. I really wish he would have done the whole song acoustic, but...

CASEY #2 - "Daughters" "Give it to them!" says Kara to Casey. Did she mean give them Ambien? That's what you and Randy did by giving him this song. I actually liked Casey's version, but I kind of agree with Simon...this is the song you're leaving people with on this night? Like a slow fade into third place. It was a nice ride Casey.

CRYSTAL #2 - "Maybe I'm Amazed" Ellen comes through!! While I have become increasingly underwhelmed by Ellen's presence on the judging panel, she chose a great song for Crystal and she killed it. She looked a bit awkward as she waddled up behind the judges towards the end of the song, but the singing was fantastic.

LEE #2 - "Hallelujah" Talk about setting someone up to win. Not only does Lee get a highly emotional song, but he also gets the backup choir, smoke and cool lighting. I don't want to take anything away from a very good performance by Lee, but it almost seemed like a forced great performance and reaction by the judges. They so badly wanted a "moment" to end the show and, hopefully, boost ratings going into next week that the praise was a bit over the top. Had he done the entire song acoustic, I personally feel it would have had a more genuine impact. That being said...Lee will win.

Given my commentary, I don't feel the need for my predictions.

I think Susannah Searson has a clear path to wining this pool, as she has 62 points (4th place tie)...is just two out of first...and has Casey 3rd, Crystal 2nd and Lee winning, which will put her on top by far.

Let's see if America can stick it to me...enjoy the show tonight!

Pool Boy Out!

Michael's Dream Dies...Again

Idolites -

I guess Michael only had 3 lives. First, his dad almost blows his chance to be in the Top 24 by violating the confidentiiality clause. Then, Michael gets the lowest number of votes, but is saved by the judges. Last night, his dream of making the Top 3 was crushed as he was sent packing by America.

Maybe Ellen was right. Why was his dream to just make the Top 3? Kind of like playing a poker tournament just to make the final table. If you aren't going for the win, your performance and subsequent results reflect that.

Well, I wish he and his new family the best. I'm sure he'll have some sort of career in music, which will be good since his credibility as a personal trainer is suspect, given all his girth.

On to the pool...

Things are getting tight at the top. Sherri Nichols is still in the lead, but is now tied with Beth Shanaman. Beth, however, had Michael winning, so her time at the top will be brief. Just 1 point back in third is Hot Mama (a.k.a. Cathernine Snarr). The battle for the title, however, seems to be between Catherine (who has Crystal winning and Lee in second), Susannah Searson (Lee-Crystal-Casey) and Christopher Wiehl (Casey-Crystal-Lee). I'd have to delve deeper into the math, but it looks like those are the best options att his point.

Of course, after next week's show, we'll have a much bettter idea of who can win the pool.

Casey is the only one left from the South. Can he garner the same swell of support that 6 of 8 Idols have gotten? I think the producers would be a bit let down if it weren't Lee V. Crystal in the finals, but don't ever count out the Southerners.

Until next week.

Pool Boy Out!

The Final 4...A Final Bore?

Idolites -

First, let me thank Ed Harowicz for filling in for me last week. I now feel sorry for everyone, since you'll have to listen to me for the rest of the season. Great job Ed!!

We're down to the Final 4 and it seems like most of the contestants are taking steps back instead of blossoming into "artists" (as Jamie Foxx would say). Seems to that the Idol producers are taking steps back too. Jamie Foxx again? Really? Do the producers think having Jamie go face-to-face with the contestants is that compelling or are they running out of big name singers that are willing to do the show.

Over the past few seasons you started to see bigger and bigger name artists end up on the Idol stage, because they knew that the ratings were huge and the show was a huge part of the country's culture. Now, with ratings starting to fall and the show seemingly having jumped the shark, maybe those same artists will now begin to avoid appearing on the show?

All I know is that Idol is in serious jeopardy and with Simon leaving at the end of the season, I'd be surprised to see the show continue for more than one or two more seasons.

Boy am I ever cheery today, eh? I hate to be such a downer about Idol, however this season has been quite a disappointment after such a great season last year. I realized how much so last week when I was on my road trip. I was in Chicago on Tuesday night eating a late dinner and remembered that I had missed the show...and didn't really care. Last season, I would have been freaking out to have missed a show. Heck, I didn't even watch the shows on DVR when I got home.

I think one downfall of Idol may be due to the rise of YouTube. Oprah was on yesterday (yes, I am working from home now) and her show was dedicated to talented children. On the show were Jutin Bieber and Charise. 16 & 18-years old respectively, these new pop sensations were both discovered on YouTube. When Idol began in 2002, YouTube did not have such a large presence. I think Idol used to be a way for talented kids to get their break. It still is to a degree. However, I believe the supremely talented folks are getting discovered more easily and Idol is left with the also-rans.

Whatever the case, I have heard from many of you over the season and it will be the last one you will be watching.

Here's just another reason why:

LEE - "Kiss From A Rose" What happened to Lee? From all accounts he was really good last week and had been gaining momentum with each performance. Last night felt like he had stepped back into the insecure, Dave Mathews-esque mode. He was dressed sloppy, the arrangement was lazy, his voice was all over the place and he was, again, hunched over with his guitar on stage looking quite sheepish. I don't think Lee will go home this week, but he sure didn't help his cause (or drive future ratings) with this performance.

MICHAEL - "Will You Hold Me?" Though the judges were a bit harsh on him, I give Michael credit for understanding the gravity of the moment and felt he put forth a serious effort. Despite his jacket being a couple sizes too small, he looked like he was there to win. Ellen was pretty brutal when she ripped him for having a goal to finish in the top 3 and not to win. I kind of agree with her, though. That seems like the attitude for everyone this season. No one is going out there and going for the win.

CRYSTAL & LEE DUET - "Falling Slowly" So instead of having each contestant sing twice, they go for two duets. It's no surprise the producers pt Lee & Crystal together, as I'm sure they hope it is these two in the finale. They certainly didn't disappoint. It was one of the best performances this season. Too bad this isn't American Duets. Thanks to Seacrest (another big reason Idol is flailing this season), we get another uncomfortable line of questioning about what it was like singing into each other's eyes...c'mon Seacrest, this isn't Extra...grow up.

CASEY - "Mrs. Robinson" Lucky doesn't like Casey's hair tonight. I think it's kind of ironic he chose that song and thought it was quite funny that Randy brought it up. Here is Casey, siting in the top 4 and he has to rehash the whole Kara crush thing again...ugh! I actually kind of liked his rendition of the song. I though he changed it up just enough and his delivery was professional. Not mind-blowing, but good. Teal leather jacket???

CRYSTAL - "I'm Alright" Who'd a thunk? The cheesy theme from Caddyshack? Well, she mixed it up pretty well and had the best solo performance of the evening, but that's not saying much. I thought it was a bit light for her at this stage of the game, but she's a lock for the finale, so she can afford to take these kind of risks. I was struck by Simon's comment that she is back in the game. When was she ever not in the game? I think Crystal could break the front-runner curse.

MICHAEL & CASEY DUET - "Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman?" Ugh...I really hate this song. The guitar playing was good and they did a nice job on the vocals. It was really hard for me to get past the song, but the cheese factor fit Michael well...and his suit was pretty cool for this song.

RECAP:

Best Look - Michael (on duet)

Worst Look - Lee (solo)

Best Performance - Lee & Crystal duet

Worst Performance - Lee (solo)

PREDICTIONS:

Bottom 2 (should be) - Casey, Michael

Bottom 2 (will be) - Casey, Michael

Out (should be) - Casey

Out (will be) - Casey

Sorry if I brought anyone down. Enjoy the show tonight.

Pool Boy Out!

Season Of The Girls? NOT Wicked Cool.

Idolites -

Well, Simon was wrong, eh? We're down to five and we have just one girl left. Granted, she's the best one, but the voters seem to disagree with Simon's take on the field.

Although he did make that statement before Lilly Scott was kicked off...that's right, I told you I wouldn't let it go!

Siobhan's exit also leaves another hole in a season of bland contestants. Though she had started to sound more and more generic herself, at least there was a chance she could break out with a cool performance. Oh well.

As for the pool, Sherri Nichols retained her lead, but it was cut down to just one point over Jessica Fracker. Jessica is known for her excellent performance in this pool. Will Aaron carry her to this year's title? I think I like Sherri's chances better, but who knows.

Just a couple of things from me:

* You will probably not hear from me next week, as I am on a sales road trip in the Midwest and will most likely not even get to see either show myself. I'll have to catch them on the DVR when I get home. Sinatra Week this late? Could be interesting.

* I will send out a late pay list the week of 5/10. I'm just not going to have time to get to it before I leave for my trip. So, if you haven't sent in your payment, you have an extra 10 days!

Have a great week!!

Pool Boy Out!

WIth Just Six Left, No One Sucked!

Idolites -

Shania Twain, eh? Well, I can't say that I'm a fan of her music, but Shania always proves to be a solid contributor to Idol. Despite not loving a lot of the songs performed last night, Shania seemed to bring out the best in the contestants. With just six remaining, it's now becoming more a matter of taste for the voters, as no one was so obviously bad that they need to go...yes, that's right, Tim is gone.

Gotta give the producers props. When they introduced each contestant with a description of what they are: Lee, a painter...Aaron, a high school student...with Michael, they went with a father, officially ending his career as a trainer.

Did anyone else notice Blake Lewis sitting behind Randy Jackson? Oh my! Looks like he was out to see a Flock Of Seagulls concert. Just goes to show you that finishing second on Idol is no guarantee of recording success.

LEE - "Looks Like We Made It" What Lee has done over the past few weeks is define himself through increased self confidence. He has a look. He has a sound. He has a style. He gives another solid performance and has the judges and voters on his side. If I had to pick my pool over again starting today I'd have two things: 1) a perfect pool to date and 2) Lee as my winner.

MICHAEL - "It Only Hurst When I'm Breathing" Why do the wardrobe folks insist on putting him in tight clothing. When he stood up from sitting on the stairs, I was half expecting a groan. Overall, it was a nice job on the vocals. Again, not my cup of tea on the song or the vocals, but it was delivered clean. Kinda boring for me. Leah actually commented, like Simon, that it felt a little feminine. She did not say 'wet', but who does besides Simon? I think Big Mike's in trouble again...this time without a safety net.

CASEY - "Don't" Not often you have someone make it to the top 6 and admit they "haven't really sung yet". Casey called himself out last night, which was kind of refreshing. On the heels of admitting he hadn't really featured his voice yet, he goes out and delivers a great vocal performance. My only confusion is that if he admits that his guitar playing last night was just rhythm guitar, why play it at all? I think he would have had an even more memorable performance if he just sat up there alone on the mic. Love how Ellen cites the Seger in his voice!!

CRYSTAL - "No One Needs To Know Right Now" The judges mirrored my comments during her performance. Crystal is never not good. This could be her ultimate downfall and why many early favorites on Idol never win. The problem is that when she isn't spectacular, it stands out. That was a nice, fun, catchy tune done well. But when compared to the rest of her performances, it was just OK. Plus, the rest of the performances tonight were all pretty good, so it puts her in a vulnerable position.

AARON - "You Got Away" Aaron, the balladeer. Like Aaron. Hate his style of singing. He's kind of like a white, teen version of Anoop. Aaron is clearly the least polished one left, but may still carry forward since Tim is now gone and the young teen girls need someone to vote for. In a surprise, I say Aaron is safe tonight...and NOT in the bottom 3.

SIOBHAN - "Any Man Of Mine" I like the fact that she went with an upbeat song. I hate the fact that she seems to have lost her creative edge. She is singing all of the songs these days without switching up the arrangement or making them her own. She did go back to the scream and the long note, which works well when you're in the last spot of the night. This one she seemed to crack on the end, though. She's one of just two girls left (here in the season of the Girl...Simon?), so I think she'll last another week or two. However, unless she pulls out another "Paint It Black"-style performance soon, I think Siobhan is done soon.

RECAP:

Best Look - Lee (hip, clean)

Worst Look - Crystal HM - Siobhan

Best Performance - Lee HM - Casey & everyone else...no one was bad tonight

PREDICTIONS:

Bottom 3 (should be) - Aaron, Siobhan, Michael

Bottom 3 (will be) - Siobhan, Michael, Lee

Out (should be) - Aaron

Out (will be) - Michael

That's all folks!

Enjoy the show tonight!!

Pool Boy Out!