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!

Idol Gives Back...Tim.

Idolites -

Before he could break out the pony hawk, Tim Urban was finally sent home last night. As with Sanjaya, the cute-boy, out-of-control hair, votefortheworst.com poster child made it as far as 7th place. Not bad, Tim!

The Idol Gives Back show was, again, an interesting mix of performances and tear-jerking stories. Can you believe the Black Eyed Peas were there? You never see them doing shows like this.

The highlight for me was Wanda Sykes. I have heard her bit about American Idol before and it still rings funny and true.

As for the pool, Sherri Nichols has increased her lead to two points over second place TexAg99, who had Didi winning. So, if Lee can pull out a victory, Sherri could be well on her way to a pool win. Things are just halfway done, though, so it's still pretty wide open. Just 10 points separate the top 24 spots.

I have been receiving payments from everyone and will have an update on who has not yet paid early next week. So, if you have not yet sent in your payment, please do so, so I don't have to call you out on the blog next week ;-).

Have a wonderful weekend!

Pool Boy Out!

Idol Gives Back

Idolites -

Sorry for the hibernation last week. I was swamped at a trade show and had virtually no extra time to make my commentary, much less see my pool go down in flames with Andrew's departure. Guess I'll be relying on Presley's pool from now on. Although with Siobhan continuing to confuse, I think Lucky is the front-runner in the Pool Boy household.

Given the theme last night I was actually relieved that Andrew wasn't there any longer. I don't think I could handle watching him struggle yet again. Alicia Keys, though I'm not a huge fan of her music, was the perfect mentor for Idol Gives Back Week. So nice...and so inspirational herself...tonight's show should be quite good.

As for last night, everyone seemed to be on their best behavior since this was the first performance show of the Top 12 to last just 60 minutes. Didn't leave much room for Seacrest to lose his mind or for the judges to ramble.

CASEY - "Don't Stop" With the field narrowing, Casey is starting to show why he isn't going to be around for much longer. Again, he goes for the road house bar scene performance. If I closed my eyes during his song, I thought to myself, "Why is Bob Seger covering Fleetwood Mac?" I think he chose the song for the guitar riffs, not the vocals. It seems to me he really isn't trying to win. He has gotten his exposure and will make a living with his music, so he's determined to audition his sound each and every week. He'll finally sniff the bottom 3 this week.

LEE - "The Boxer" Great song choice! Here is an example of a similar type of artist to Casey, but one who wants to win. If it weren't for Crystal finishing the show so strong, this would have been the performance of the night. Everyone in our household had goosebumps during this one. Lee continues to improve week to week and has put himself in the position to challenge Crystal for the title. Lee can win this thing.

TIM - "Better Days" I think that was the song? Another that was good 'for Tim' performance. Peter Brady has ridden the train into the Top 7. His hair is slowly taking over his head as it clings to his face and neck, slowly swallowing him up. Sanjaya made it this far before finally going home. Will Tim have the same fate? Or will the house money be enough for him to play one more week?

AARON - "I Believe I Can Fly" A 17-year old singing R. Kelly just seems wrong. At least it was a boy. Aaron has a great name. He's a sweet guy and he does have a nice voice, but his mediocre karaoke covers are starting to get a bit boring. Can't really call him an artist. He's a good singer...with about one to three weeks left at most.

SIOBHAN - "If You Believe" I'm finding that Siobhan is surprising me in ways I didn't think she would....and not in a good way. She is picking songs I can't stand and delivers them in a very old-fashioned way. Again, she started the song off very weird and boring. She then picks it up during the second half. The problem I am having is that she presents herself as more edgy and weird (which I like), but delivers performances I'd expect to hear from someone like Katie, if she were still here. She's not totally out of the running, but she needs to get back to where she was a few weeks ago and bring out the creativity and originality. She is certainly getting a lot of time to explain herself though.

MICHAEL - "Hero" Kind of like Aaron, but delivered a bit better. I still don't understand why he brings out the guitar all the time. It was completely unnecessary last night and it just makes him look more gigantic than he already is. Plus, with that type of song, it didn't allow for him to truly deliver an inspirational performance. I think it held him back. He should be safe again, though.

CRYSTAL - "People Get Ready" It was about this point last season that Adam set himself apart from the rest of the pack. It was clear that he was, by far, the best performer in the competition. Crystal has done that this season. Even with Lee coming on strong, Crystal is the class of the show right now. She can do it all and has NEVER delivered a bad performance. The only thing that stands between her and an Idol win, is the fact that she was the favorite (who has never won) and a crazy voting public that could get lazy and allow her to slip when we get to the top 3 or 4. It's Crystal's to lose.

RECAP:

Best Look - Lee (like a young Paul Simon) HM - Crystal

Worst Look - Casey (getting lazy all around) HM - Siobhan (less is more...get rid of the butterflies and footwear and she's on the list above)

Best Performance - Crystal HM - Lee

Worst Performance - Tim, Casey, Aaron - Tie

PREDICTIONS:

Bottom 3 (should be) - Casey, Aaron, Tim

Bottom 3 (will be) - Casey, Aaron, Tim

Out (should be) - Tim

Out (will be) - No one...I think they'll want to end the show on an upbeat note and will carry over the votes to next week and add them to votes they get next Tuesday...yes?

Enjoy the show tonight!

Pool Boy Out!

Adam. Elvis. What's Not To Love?

Howdy Idolites!

Sorry I didn't post anything after last week's save of Michael. I just started a new job and was on a business trip. That being said, I am leaving again today for a trade show in California. I'm not even quite sure if I will be able to watch tonight's show. So, if I may be out of blogging commission tomorrow as well, but thanks to James and his pool website, we'll all be updated on the standings.

Since there is a double elimination tonight, the first one eliminated will be the 9th place finisher and the second one eliminated will be the 8th place finisher.

On to the show...

* Has anyone else noticed how weird and borderline creepy Seacrest is becoming? He's like a 9-year old with ADD. Between slow dancing with a large man during Tim's song, throwing out a dig at Brian Dunkleman and continually probing the contestants with uncomfortable questions, it seems as if he's trying to become bigger than the show. Can someone please give the guy some decaf please?

* So we get Adam Lambert as the mentor...thank goodness! It was apparent that he has been watching the show and feels the same way we all do...ZZZZZZZZ! I'm glad he called out a few of the contestants about being boring. He raised the bar last year on performance and I think his influence really helped the performances last night.

* Elvis songs had the potential to be really bad, but overall I thought most everyone did pretty well. Since Leah & I were married by Elvis in Vegas (note picture above), we certainly have some connections to him (i.e. kids named Lucky Jackson & Presley), as well as a few songs. The contestants didn't disappoint.

CRYSTAL - "Saved" WOW! I had never heard this song, but will certainly purchase Crystal's version on iTunes. That was simply one of the best performances I've seen on this show. She had her usual great voice, but injected her performance with fun and energy. Nice assist from Adam with the electric guitar suggestion. Still the one to beat.

ANDREW - "Hound Dog" This was the defining moment for Andrew. He had Adam there to tell him he was fading and his song was sounding boring. This week could determine if he is ready to make a run or will go home tonight. The song choice was horrible. No guitar either...yikes. I actually liked the arrangement. Liked the old-style microphone. Liked the Elvis-style hair. Didn't hate the performance as much as the judges, but it was apparent that Andrew (and my pool) are about to go down.

TIM - "Can't Help Falling In Love" Gotta say I was worried on this one. This was the song Leah came down the aisle to at our wedding and I didn't want to hear it destroyed. Although he didn't take Adam's advice and use his falsetto at the end, he did an admirable job and was better than Andrew. Tim seems to be going the way of Kris Allen. wearing his bland clothes and riding the guitar. Tim's 'Kris Allen-lite' persona could push him even further in the competition. At least one more week, yes?

LEE - "A Little Less Conversation" Another one of my favorite Elvis songs. Had Crystal not been so amazing Lee would have stolen the show. Great performance. Great energy. I think Kara is smoking crack when she tells him to smile more and lighten up. He was awesome in his sound, his look and his performance. Lee has put himself back in contention.

AARON - "Blue Suede Shoes" Cheesy. Karaoke. Cruise Ship. Amusement Park...just pick the one you like best and that would fit his performance just fine. As Leah put it, "he looks like he's giving up." Simon was right on when he said the song made him sound old and I agree. I don't know what Kara was watching last night. I think Aaron could be in trouble and certainly doesn't look to be lasting longer than a couple more weeks at best. The confidence just isn't there.

SIOBHAN - "Suspicious Minds" Another one of my favorite Elvis songs. This was weird. The first half of the performance felt like I was watching Sheena Easton perform this at karaoke in 1985. Then, she changes it up and the second half sounded awesome! I've never gone from hate this to love this so fast. I like the fact that she defended herself and didn't want to have a label placed on her. Very appropriate on an Elvis/Adam night.

MICHAEL - "In The Ghetto" Yes! Another great Elvis song. Nice assist by Siobhan on that choice. All in all, it was a pretty good performance. It kinda gets lost amongst a lot of other better performances last night, but it will be more than enough to keep Michael around. I actually hope Michael gets a career in music, because he must stop calling himself a trainer. The dude is just huge.

KATIE - "Baby, What Do You Want Me To Do?" Another song I had never heard. I actually thought is was a pretty good performance. I was actually surprised that Simon didn't jump on the fact that she sang it with a country vibe. As with Aaron, I think she is struggling with confidence (who wouldn't at age 17). She is clearly frustrated with the judges comments and has yet to find her groove. Just a few more weeks left for Katie.

CASEY - "?" I still can't figure out what song that was. Simon nailed it, though. It was a wasted opportunity for Casey. He'll definitely be safe tonight, but he could have had a great, more memorable performance that could have carried him even further in the competition...a 'moment' if you will. Instead, he took the final slot of the night and played it safe. Not bad. Not great. Just OK...and a bit too much vibrato for me.

RECAP:

Best Look - Crystal HM - Lee

Worst Look - Katie HM - Siobhan

Best Performance - Crystal HM - Lee

Worst Performance - Aaron HM - Andrew

PREDICTIONS:

Bottom 3 (should be) - Aaron, Andrew, Katie

Bottom 3 (will be) - Aaron, Andrew, Tim

Out (should be) - Aaron, Tim

Out (will be) - Aaron, Andrew (ouch, that's my first and middle name)

Time permitting, I'll make some pool updates tonight or tomorrow.

Until then....

Pool Boy out!