I am genuinely impressed with the raw talent that the contestants have this year. There are more singers that left me saying, “wow,” after their rounds during Hollywood Week than past seasons when there were usually only 3-4 standouts and the rest had to step it up as the season progressed, or risk not getting votes.

A quick update: Joanna Pacitti has been disqualified as “ineligible to continue” with no further explanation. She has achieved moderate success as a recording artist, so that may finally have had enough of a backlash from viewers this year. My wife believes it’s nudie photos, though. I ain’t going looking for them, so I’ll leave that to some newspaper lackie to find.

There was just way too much drama going on this week with idiots, sexually confused teenie-boppers, and a flat-out jerk or two. With all of that over I have quite a few opinions about the top and bottom contestants, though there are still quite a few in the middle as mush.

Let’s start with the annoying, soon to be leaving contestants, in order:

• Tatiana Del Toro: OMG! How annoying  can you be? She sings when she receives bad news to try to impress, she has a horrible laugh, she’s “all about her,” she looked like a 4 year old about to wet her pants when the judges came into the holding room on Tuesday this week, and she nearly got Simon to change everyone’s mind when she got selected on Wednesday. She HAS to go.
• Nathaniel Marshall: Another freak’n Sanjaya, only way worse. I’m going to say this once this way, and lots more ways later: HE WEARS HAIR BANDS WITH SPIKY HAIR!
• Stephen Fowler: He’s getting a second chance that he shouldn’t be allowed to get. He tried twice to do his final audition, but quit after screwing up his second attempt and walked off the stage as he should have because forgetting your words is instant bye-bye. At least it used to be.
• Alex Wagner-Trugman: He had to battle his new friend to get his spot… only he sucked and still got in. Then when you look at who did get sent home JAMAR!!! you have to fight off an anurism. Let’s look at the Idol requirements that he lacks: hot, good song choice, potential pop star. Nope on all three counts for sure.

Right in the middle, I have to put Nick Mitchell/Norman Gentle. He has a heck of a voice, is infinitely entertaining, but is not acting like an American Idol. You can’t say he won’t sell tickets, though, so I have to respect that for now.

Now for my absolute favorites in order:

• Danny Gokey: Paula has already said it, he is ready to record an album now. He changes the songs just right and has such control of his voice. Forget his sad story, he still merits incredible attention.
• Adam Lambert: As far as making a song his own goes, he’s a Blake Lewis without the beat-boxing. Raw, natural talent.
• Michael Sarver: The roughneck with the silky voice. My jaw hit the floor during his audition because you do not expect a big, tough dude like that to have such a smooth, pleasing singing voice. I’d like to see him go far and at least get a recording contract.
• Lil Rounds: Finally a woman makes it onto my list. Put her up there with Jordan Sparks’ caliber, but you still have to put those three guys up higher, though for their own qualities.
• Kai Kalama: He’s exciting and brings a great tone into the mix. I’ll be sad to see him go unless he goes off the deep end during the season.
• Anoop Desai: I put him in the same boat as Kai and say that my respect for his talent is for him to lose.