American Idol Season 10 Top 7 Pre-Results

I’ll make this simple: the only people worth voting for now are Casey, James, and Lauren. I only voted for Casey and James, because I think they are the two that deserve to be in the finale. I think I voted for each a solid 20 times.

Jacob is too fruity since he wants to dance with his father – give me a break, poor mama’s boy. If I lost my dad at 12 I wouldn’t want to dance with him again, I’d want to throw the ball around or go shoot something. Please, such a diva! Stefano is still Ferris Bueller. Haley still needs to go home, although that was her best performance to date. As much as I like how Scotty can sing anything, he can’t stand up to the likes of Casey or James.

Casey Abrams busted out with a Maroon 5 song and took it all the way to “rock” status and made it supremely cool. Then he swaggered up to JLo, sang right in her face tenderly for 5-10 seconds before planting a kiss on her cheek. She was quite the blushing beauty after that. Casey climbed to the top of manhood with that little act.

James Durban went all-out epic again with a very theatrically riveting performance of a Muse song that was spot on the whole time. He’s just born to do this.

Whether or not I get the Bottom 3 right tonight or not, it’s the Top 3 that matter now, after 2 horrible losses in Pia and Paul, considering Haley has been in the bottom 3 times and Stefano has been twice. Aside from the night Casey was booted and saved, he, James, Lauren Alaina, and Scotty McCreery have never been in the Bottom 3. Those are the only 4 with real talent for making a career out of this.

Bottom 3:

Jacob!

Haley!

Stefano!

Going home:

Jacob!

American Idol Season 10 Top 9 Pre-Results

Last week certainly got rid of some dead weight who answers to the name Naima. Yay! Last night was, by far, the best overall night of performances this season. On the re-cap, I kept saying “that rocked” to far too many people compared to recent weeks.

Leading off, Jacob Lusk found his inner Elton John, Village People, and singing Liberace last night. I don’t understand why the teenie-bopper girls shout “I love you” to him. Maybe their gaydar is broken. He came all the way out with “Man in the Mirror” flailing and doing hip thrusts and all. Beside all of that circus dancing, the singing wasn’t as good as his Hollywood week smash.

Haley Reinhart still can’t figure out what to do to save her life. She somehow managed to make me hate a Janice Joplin song. At least this time her red lipstick stayed on her lips.

Then the run started: Casey Abrams with CCR, Lauren Alaina with “Natural Woman,” James Durbin with a George Harrison ballad, Scotty McCreery busted out “That’s All Right,” and Pia Toscano brought down the house!!!! with “River Deep – Mountain High.” I would have been pleased if that was the last song, but then…

Stefano Langone had to ruin the night with “When a Man Loves a Woman.” I haven’t quite figured out what I don’t like about him, but I would never go to a Stefano concert. Ever.

At least they got back into the right place with Paul McDonald slaying “Folsom Prison Blues.” It fit him perfectly and the crowd really got into it and it ended up being a great ending after all. That Stefano number had me worried that the producers had lost their minds.

Bottom Three:

Jacob Lusk, Stefano Langone, and Haley Reinhart.

Going Home:

Haley Reinhart

American Idol Season 10 Top 11 Pre-Results Part Deux

Last night was pretty lame, but that can’t be helped too much – it was Elton John night. Tonight, there will be a Bottom 4 and two people will go home after Casey Abrams’ save last week.

I’m going to get this off my chest: I can’t stand watching or listening to Naima Adedapo. I want her to go home and keep on cleaning toilets until she finds a less annoying way (than making me want to throw my remote) to make more money.

I was floored to see that Haley Reinhart had the coveted finale spot, and while she did a great job picking a song, style, and way to move, it still isn’t anything that will win. Scotty McCreery picked “Country Comfort” because, you guessed it: it had the word “country” in it.

After Casey’s run-through with the producers, they suggested that his beard is taking over his face and that he should go get it trimmed. They were right! What a difference. Now his beard looks like mine at the point that I can’t stand it being that long, and it looked like he’d lost 25lbs. It was a good performance, but I am still stuck on wanting another Nirvana, because that was his best ever.

James Durbin totally rocked. 3/4 of the way through the song, the pianist just got up and ran off-stage. I wondered why, but only for 5 more seconds… the piano lid was missing and the whole thing lit up with 6-foot flames for the rest of the song, finished with 2 pyro blasts at the base of the stairs. It was an epic performance.

Pia Toscano was wonderful and lovely, as usual. Thia did much better, but she can’t win. Jacob Lusk bores me with his face-pulling, and acting generally like a girl or very confused man. He’s a one-trick pony, too. All he knows to do is to go high.

Lauren Alaina did fantastic singing “Candle in the Wind,” especially since she ripped out her “ear” immediately. There must have been something terribly wrong with what came out into her ear, but she really kicked butt. She’s coming across as more air-headed each week, though. My wife thinks she’s been out of school too long.

Paul McDonald was great and picked the perfect song in “Rocket Man” and really did his brand justice. The dude is ready to go on tour and have tons of iTunes singles.

Oh, yeah, Stefano Langone… well, since I almost forgot to include him should tell you how ordinary he was.

My picks for Bottom 4: Naima Adedapo, Stefano Langone, Haley Reinhart, and Thia Megia.

Going home: Naima Adedapo and Stefano Langone.

American Idol Season 10 Top 11 Pre-Results

Is it just me or are the worst getting worse and the best getting better? It’s really hard to pick a 3rd worst from last night because there were four bad performances. It’s almost game time (I’ve got a lot of NCAA to watch tonight, too), so I’m going to cut to the chase.

Last night was Motown night. It made it really easy to tell who knew themselves, what their niche was, and how to arrange a song to match their style. Those who succeeded in best to worst order were: Paul McDonald, James Durbin, Pia Toscano, Thia Megia, Casey Abrams, Scotty McCreery, and Lauren Alaina.

I’m over Jacob Lusk and his faces, dancing, and hand gestures. Naima Adedapo was confused which Nigel Lithgoe show she was on and started (very badly) doing an African dance number – oh, she IS African? I guess that hadn’t been thrown in my face enough yet for that to sink in. Haley Reinhart has always been and will always be in the Bottom 3 until she goes home. Lastly, Stefano Langone still can’t keep his eyes open.

Naima AdedapoBottom 3 of 11

Haley Reinhart, Stefano Langone, and Naima Adedapo

Going home

Naima Adedapo