The End of the Greatness

I had planned to post a one-word blog, that word being "Crystal." In fact, the title of the post was "It Can Be Summed Up in a Word." But after reading Rob's prediction of Lee, I realized I might want to explain my choice of Crystal a bit.

Rob is right on the money when he says that AI is primarily watched, and decided, by women. I have a few guy friends who watch it, but they are far outweighed by the female folk in numbers. And while Lee is a cutie-pa-tootie and a hottie-pa-tottie and has grown and is charming and endearing, I think Crystal will win, and this is why.

It's still the female demographic, only taken from a different angle.

Crystal, in many ways, embodies the American woman's dream. She's a mother, and yet she's a star at the same time, and she doesn't have any intention of giving up one for the other. She has retained her sense of who she is throughout the competition, without compromise, and she is a self-made woman. She's had the support of family and friends, but who she is, she became on her own, and that's very admirable. She has shown America that you can have the best of both worlds, stay true to yourself, and be a success in each aspect of your life, and I think that's what women today want to see. Add to that the fact that she's more talented than all get-out, and I think she's our winner.

That said, I like Lee a lot, and I'm really not going to be devastated if he wins. He's worked hard and he deserves the title as well. Rob was right again when he discussed the equal talent of the two final contenders - this week is going to be a close call, I'm willing to bet. Can't wait for the results show.

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The Fight for the Final

Well, here we are, one week before the finale. We have Crystal. We have Lee. We have Casey. Who will we still have next week?

First up was Casey. He looks nice in a suit. His first song was one of his typical solid performances, enjoyable and well-done, but without any real WOW!! moment. The song was stupid—not Casey’s fault, but you’d think it wouldn’t be a choice for this stage in the competition.

Then we had Crystal. The harmonica was a mistake, I’m sorry to say. And, if you can believe this, I’m actually about to say that I didn’t care for the performance. (Gasp!) Yes, that’s right – Crystal turned in a less-than-stellar performance. I didn’t think it was possible. But we must keep in mind that a so-so Crystal performance is still better than a lot of other people on their best night.

Third in the line-up was Lee, who smiled. (Gasp!) Yes, he smiled! And he took round one, both in my opinion and Kara’s.

Heading into round two, we had some surprises. Casey did “Daughters,” and he did a really good job with it. If he needs some “sensitive guy” votes, this will do it for him. Simon didn’t get it, but hey, there are times when he doesn’t.

Crystal’s song was also not terribly good. I’m not sure why Ellen chose the song for her, and I wasn’t lovin’ on the screamy aspect of it. I want Crystal to move on to next week, but tonight’s performances just were not showing her to her best advantage. The judges loved it, but the Tristi … not so much.

And then Lee came out and took the night.

Definitely moving to the finale will be Lee, and based on previous weeks, it should be Crystal. Casey should be the one sent home. But I have to say, I liked Casey’s second performance better than Crystal’s, and their first two performances were pretty much equal for me. I’m glad I know what else Crystal can do because I wasn’t all that impressed tonight, whereas she usually impresses me from the moment she opens her mouth.

All I can say now is, the finale is going to be something pretty darned spectacular and I can’t wait to see it.

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I'm All Right, I Really Am

We’re down to the final four, and you know what, with the exception of Siobhan, it’s who I thought it would be. I didn’t think Casey would make it quite this far, but he’s been a much more consistent performer than Siobhan, so I think this final four is a pretty good choice.

Okay, let’s kick it off.

First is Lee with “Kiss from a Rose.” I’ve always thought this was a strange song, and I’m used to hearing it sung by a huge bald guy. I think Lee did a pretty good job with it, considering he’s not huge or bald. I didn’t think it was his best performance ever, though, and that’s what it should have been tonight, considering how close we’re getting to the end.

Next is Michael singing Michael Jackson. I wasn’t sure what I thought about this song choice. It just seemed a little odd to me. But after hearing the performance, I liked it better than the original. Thumbs up from Tristi, Big Mike.

At this point, the judges were grumpy.

Then Lee and Crystal did a duet … they sang it well, I’m sure, but I didn’t care for the song. It was one of those “I don’t get it” moments, although it did a lot for the judges’ grumpiness.

I interrupt myself … why does Kara have silver fingernails?

When Ryan announced that Casey was singing Simon and Garfunkel, my thought was, “What?” And then he had a little plinky baby guitar/banjo thing going on, and I was like, “What?” And then I heard the performance, and I’m still like, “What?” I was bored. My son started talking to me, and I didn’t bother to shush him. That’s pretty bad.

Last for the night was Crystal. She’s just always awesome. Even when she’s less awesome than normal, she’s still more awesome than the others. She’s just her own kind of awesome. The boots were odd, but the performance was great. I didn’t get Simon’s comment about her being back in the game – in my opinion, she never left the game.

But then, Casey and Mike did one of my favorite songs, from Don Juan deMarco. I didn’t know Casey could do a Spanish guitar thing. Mike did pretty well with his, too. I can’t say that I loved the performance, but it was decent. But since it’s one of my favorite songs, I’m apt to be more critical.

Okay, here’s how it breaks down for me. If there’s a bottom three, it’ll be Lee, Mike, and Casey. If there’s a bottom two, it’ll be Mike and Casey. Either way, we’re losing Casey tomorrow night. I’m sorry, because I like him, and I think he’ll have a great career, but it needs to be Lee and Crystal in the final. So we’re losing Casey this week, and Mike next week. Love how I’m predicting next week before I even see it? I’m just good that way.

Of course, we could lose Mike this week and Casey next week. Either way, as long as Crystal and Lee are the two finalists.

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Harry Connick Jr. ... What More Can I Say?

First off, can I just say how much I love Harry Connick, Jr? Love, love, love him. He’s even on the playlist on my blog. Although, I must say, his quote – “As long as they sing these words to these melodies, they’ll be fine” didn’t make a lot of sense. Song choice all night long was really off, and I’m not sure if Harry chose the songs or if the contestants did.

Aaron – “Fly Me to the Moon” Aaron is not Sinatra, and he’s not Connick. The song was just too big for him. The arrangement was great, because Connick did it, but the singing … no, not much. I don’t know if the judges were listening to the same performance.

Casey – “Blue Skies” Casey held his own against the band, volume-wise, which Aaron didn’t. However, it wasn’t his style and I’m concerned for him tonight.

Crystal – “Summer Wind” Crystal showed some great versatility tonight. It wasn’t her best performance, but it was a good performance.

Big Mike – “The Way You Look Tonight” Mike has a natural talent for this type of singing and this was definitely a good night for him.

Lee – “That’s Life” Lee did a really awesome job with this song. I wasn’t a fan of the weird organ thing Harry was doing in the background, but the singing was pretty awesome.

What’s interesting about tonight’s performances is that I felt they went backward in order of how good they were. We started out really shaky and intimidated with Aaron, got a little stronger but still out of his element with Casey, then went into always awesome, and yet very different tonight, Crystal. Mike and Lee were both at the top of their game, with Lee, last, doing the best.

So for me, calling tonight’s shots is easy - mostly. Aaron and Casey, definitely. I hesitate … I really hesitate … to put Crystal in the bottom three. I thought she did an absolutely lovely job, but it was so different from what her fans are used to seeing—will they be disappointed with that, or will they keep her in? On the other hand, Mike was really in his element, but he has been in the bottom three, and Crystal’s just not used to hanging out with the almost-losers.

Hmmm. Hmmmm. You know what, I’m gonna have to say that Big Mike will be in the bottom three. I think Crystal’s fans will rise up and rally, even though she took a chance. I applaud her chance-taking.

So, Aaron, Casey, and Big Mike. And going home … Casey. Aaron’s preteen vote seems to be a little stronger than Casey’s hot guy vote. Let this not distract from the fact, though, that I think Casey did better than Aaron.

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I've Been Hit by a Twain ...

Yes, Miss Ellen, I can make bad train jokes, too.

Okay. Wow. Okay.

Tonight is going to be a hard game to call. There were no obvious stinkers ... well, the one I thought was more obvious than an accordion player in a chamber orchestra actually was pretty well liked by the judges, and the audience reactions were also skewed tonight, and rather than trying to determine what America is going to think, I'm just going to have to go with my gut. I know Rob hates it when I do that, but all the wires are crossed and the vibes are wrong and that's the only choice I have in the matter.

1. Lee's song choice was adored by the judges, and not so much by me. This song is actually the one I chose to be "our song," my husband's and mine, although he doesn't think such things are necessary. But the song has special meaning for me, and so to hear it sung in this fashion wasn't my favorite. Lee didn't even hit on any kind of tune there for a few minutes, and it didn't take off until the chorus.

2. Mike got his emotions in the groove, but I didn't love the song, which was almost all on just a couple of notes. But he showed his good ballad side again, which always works for him.

3. Casey had another breakthrough tonight. He did the sensitive thing again, and the producers back-lit those golden curls, and I think Casey will score some major hot-guy votes tonight.

4. Crystal's song choice was a little odd. She sang it well, and her transition from the low notes to the high notes was flawless, but it wasn't her very best. This was the first time the judges have ever not liked her.

5. Aaron actually did a really nice job tonight. He was strong right from the start, which is odd for him - he usually struggles with the verse and gets strong in the chorus.

6. Siobhan was the one I really disliked tonight. She tried to ballad her way through a power song, and then she screamed the end, which didn't work. The song completely overpowered her. And yet, the judges were lovin' all over her, and I thought it was terrible.

So, you see why I'm confused - our consistent Crystal faltered a little, our screaming Siobhan stunk and the judges loved her, and our anemic Aaron showed some guts tonight.

Going way, way, way out on a limb here ... bottom three - Big Mike, Lee, and Siobhan. Going home - Siobhan.

Wincing ... wincing ... I have no idea if I'm right ...

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We Can End Right Now

As far as I'm concerned, American Idol could come to an end right now and there's really no need to continue the competition, except maybe to see who comes in third. Crystal Bowersox is the clear winner, with Lee DeWyze in second place. If America votes in a way that is just and fair, that's how this season will play out.

Here are my thoughts on the evening:

Casey delivered a solid, entertaining performance. The judges were a little harsh on him, but they did make a good point in that he needs to break his mold of solid, entertaining performances and do some things that really have a Wow! moment in them. I still like him a lot - don't get me wrong - but he's fading into white noise because we know he'll always be good. He needs to knock our socks off rather than being good.

Lee was really impressive tonight. His performance was emotional and he connected with the audience in a way we haven't seen before.

Tim was struggling with a very important concept - your verses have to be as strong as your chorus. The verse is where the story is told, and his verses were all over the place as far as pitch and tone. It wasn't his finest night.

Aaron - what is up with this little kid choosing such huge songs? He overshot his song choice, as usual, and he also picked a song that's been overused to death. He ended well, but he didn't start out so good.

Siobhan had an interesting night. She's such a puzzle. She has this voice that is just blow-your-mind good, but she doesn't seem to know what to do with it. She was a little pitchy, which surprised me, and she didn't have an emotional connection with the audience. But wow, those notes she was hitting - it was impressive.

Mike's performance was just not my favorite. I'm a Big Mike fan - I have been since Hollywood Week - but I'm worried about him pigeon-holing himself. He does best on slow, emotional ballads. Anything else, and he flounders.

Crystal - well, what can I say that hasn't already been said? She is in a completely different league than everyone else. This competition is now about choosing her runner-up.

My call for bottom three: Big Mike, Tim, and Aaron. I went back and forth in my mind between choosing Aaron and choosing Siobhan. I could be going the wrong way on this. But Siobhan's fans seem to be saving her when she has an off night, so I'm guessing they'll do it again tonight. And to go home ... this is a tough call. I'm going to have to say Big Mike. He was nearly kicked off, the judges saved him, and so that tells me he doesn't have quite the fan base to save himself. I know I'll feel sad when he goes, but I also know there are other contestants with more staying power.

(Now watch it be Siobhan, just because I debated it so much with myself ...)

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Tristi Weighs In ...

First off, I'm a bit surprised that I blogged before my esteemed colleague. That's just not how it's supposed to be - he's supposed to beat me here. Well, that's all right. We can still have fun.

Tonight was just odd. I thought consuming a couple handfuls of tangerine Jelly Belly jellybeans would help me feel less confused, but I'm still confused. The Bellys have failed me.

First off, last week's show was just mind-blowing. I get that Big Mike didn't have the best night in the world, but he can out-sing a number of the folks on that stage, and to see him have to sing for his life was just silly. I'm glad the judges saved him, although he never should have been in that position.

Now, on to tonight ...

I was concerned when they announced that it was Elvis night. Elvis had a very unique style and only a few people can do it justice. And for that matter, what's up with the judges always telling the contestants to stay away from trying to sing the really big stars, and now they assign them to do just that?

Crystal - was awesome. Poor girl is probably getting a lot less press than anyone else because there's never anything bad to say.

Andrew - I did not love so much. The song was performed about half as fast as it should have been, and Adam Lambert tried to get him to make it more exciting, but it didn't work. I don't know why Andrew left the stage and went up onto that little stage out in the middle - was he trying to add some excitement to his number? Didn't work.

Tim - ... ... ... oh, I'm sorry. What was that? I just dozed off there for a minute. I thought Tim was boring, pitchy, and not entertaining at all. But then the judges went and loved all over him. I think the judges were drinking something unusual in their Coke cups tonight. They were definitely watching a different show than I was.

Lee - did really well. I liked his arrangement a lot in how he took the verses up a little in pitch.

Aaron - from the moment Aaron announced his song, I was in agony. Why would you do that to yourself? And I never realized how stupid that song was until now. And yet, the judges loved it. Except for Simon. Simon was my man on this one.

Siobhan - for the first time since the show began, I thought she looked pretty. She is a pretty girl, but when you're hiding under all the costumes, no one can see you. Tonight she looked classy. The singing ... the singing confused me. She started out trying to sing a rock song as a lyrical ballad, and that didn't work. So then she sang it like a rock song, and it sort of worked. But then she threw in a bluesy/gospel thing at the end, and that totally didn't work. I was perplexed. Maybe if I'd had some pina colada jellybeans, I'd feel better, but I didn't, and so I don't.

Mike - did a very heart-touching version of "In the Ghetto." It was the perfect emotional piece to keep him in this week.

Katie - showed some guts and displayed her pipes nicely this week. I can't say it was exactly the right song for her, but she's not Elvis.

Casey - did his usual consistently good job. It wasn't unusual or terribly unique, but it was really good. I think he should have changed it up just a bit more, but it was solid.

With the judges' opinions being so completely opposite my own, and the whole warped fan thing going on in the studio, it's hard to make any kind of call this week. I think I'm going to need to just state who I wish would go. In that case, I choose Aaron, Andrew, and Tim for the bottom three, with Andrew and Tim going home. Siobhan was confusing enough that maybe she'll be in the bottom three, but I think she's got a strong enough fan base to keep her from it.

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Tristi is Bewildered

I don't know ... I'm confused ... I'm so tempted to read Guru Rob's blog before posting just so I know what to say.

Tonight's performances were all ... wow. Okay. Try to pull it together, Tristi.

Each performance had something good in it, some more awesome than others, and there were some odd moments throughout as well.

Breaking it down ...

Aaron seems determined to sing songs best suited for thirty-year-old men. He doesn't do well on the low notes and only hits his groove on the high notes. My advice ... sing younger songs with higher notes.

Katie was vocally spot on tonight.

Andrew did pretty well, not as great as he really needed to, and he seemed to struggle going from the verses to the chorus. But an improvement over two weeks ago.

Mike chose an odd song, in my opinion. His voice is always good - I've never heard a not-good vocal performance from him, but the song just seemed like a mismatch.

Crystal always delivers. I'm never disappointed. And here we had the appearance of one unusual musical instrument ... we saw a didgeridoo, which has never before graced the American Idol stage. Yes, I did have to look up how to spell it. I'm not sure what it added to the performance. I think we could have gotten along quite well without it. But it was sorta cool to see one. I can tell my children and grandchildren about it.

Tim's announcement of his song of choice ... from that moment, I knew I was going to be bored. And I was right. I was very, very bored. But the judges all loved it and told him how awesome he was, and I have to feel a little glad for the kid that no one made him want to throw up, but I was bored. What can I say. I needed something a little more. Maybe something like a didgeridoo.

Casey's outfit rocked. That's the first comment to make. I am in the Casey is a Hottie Club. I didn't love, love the song, but I did love seeing him do something a little different. I haven't read Rob's blog yet, but I suspect he might make a comment about being glad to see Casey try something a little different this week. (Coming back to edit after reading Rob's blog ... Rob did indeed make a comment along these lines.)

Siobhan's outfit made me want to cry. Moving on from that, her voice is so pure. Every note (well, with the exception of a few) was like water being dropped into a still pool. It was a beautiful performance. Although, why we sang a song that includes a line written in Sanskrit to praise one's meditation teacher, I don't know. (That's the joy of watching American Idol online. You can Google while you listen.)

Lee did well tonight. He took one of the most well-known songs and delivered a solid performance. I'm not sure why we brought in a bagpiper with a green backlight, coming down a flight of stairs, like an alien arriving from the mothership of Scottish instrument-playing creatures from some Scottish-inspired planet. Oh, well.

Okay, here's the tough part, the part that's been giving me grief. Last week was so easy. Yes, I shall rub it in ... last week was the week I guessed right. This week is just hard. Grrr.

Taking a deep breath - bottom three are: Aaron, Andrew, and Tim. Going home - Aaron.

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And Tristi Thinks ...

Once again, blogging before I read Rob's comments ...

This was a tough, tough night.

To start with, the outfits confused me a little. Was that a dog or an elephant on Randy's sweater? And Siobhan ... my dear girl ... we must talk.

Okay, on to performances.

We got started with Siobhan, and for the first time since she very first stepped onto the Idol stage, she was pitchy. I was shocked. This girl sings every note absolutely true, but tonight ... she did not. I didn't like the song for her, she seemed really out of sync, and I don't know what I think, to be honest. Safe on the merit of her previous performances? I sure hope so, but if we were judging her just for tonight, not so much. The thing with her is, she's never been ripped by the judges before. It hit her hard tonight because she didn't know how to take it. I think tonight will be good for her in terms of learning to accept criticism.

Casey was awesome. He was pretty much in his groove tonight, and I have no doubt he's safe.

Mike - solid, sensitive, and safe.

I've made it no secret that I have a beef with Didi. I'm sure she's a very nice girl, I'm sorry that her best friend died, and I know she's got a lot of emotion tied up in that. But from week to week, we're supposed to be seeing the contestants grow, and Didi is not growing. I think she's doing the show to try to move past what happened, but every week, she's wallowing in it, singing songs that remind her of all her emotions and not letting go of the past and looking toward her future. Tonight she was pitchy, the little key changes throughout the song did her no good at all, and it was just plain terrible. I believe she's in the bottom three tonight. If she's not, she should be.

Tim. Tim, Tim, Tim. First of all, where are your eyebrows? Why can't we ever see them? Are you ashamed of them? Do you have girl eyebrows? Second, why that song? That song is best done by a true artist. There are unusual notes throughout that must be mastered. You can't just take that song and sing it - you've got to get from your low notes to your high notes and back again without effort. Tim, my dear boy with shameful eyebrows, you didn't do it. Bottom three.

I am sort of going back and forth on Andrew. He did a lot better than he has for a while. But I was pretty much aching for the song to end. I didn't like the song. At all. And not only that, but it's a sensual song about taking a girl to ecstasy, and he just wasn't selling it. He doesn't have the look for a song like that. Maybe if he were a little taller. I don't know. So while the judges liked it, I can only say he improved.

Katie is an interesting person. Her performance was solid, but her clothes were strange. She needs to listen to herself a little more. Katie is not a rock 'n roll chick. She likes to dress a little more classically, not quite preppy, but maybe 2010's version of preppy. This thing with the hair and the too many necklaces and the dress-thing that looked like tin foil - was not her. I don't know who dressed her, but it's adding to the confusion of who she is and what kind of artist she wants to be.

Lee did a very good job tonight, mostly in his confidence. He's totally safe this week.

Crystal is a star. She can sing any song, play any instrument, wear anything - rug or no rug - she's awesome.

Aaron was a pitchy boy tonight and he didn't pull off his power notes like he usually does. That middle section, where Usher was telling him to pour on the emotion ... was emotionless. Darn it. It was just a lukewarm performance. Simon says he's safe, but I don't know.

As far as my prediction goes, it's a hard call. It was easy for me to pull Didi and Tim out of the mix. I'm a little worried for Siobhan. I don't think she'd get voted off, but I wonder if she's in the three. Then I don't know if Aaron pulled it off. Hmmm. Hmmm. Okay, drumroll ... I choose Didi, Tim, and Aaron. And I predict that Didi will go home. I think she needs to get to a better place in her life, really heal from her past, and then concentrate on moving forward. She's not growing here.

Now to go read Rob's blog and see what he thinks. And if I disagree, to make snarky comments in his comment trail ...

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Tristi's Thoughts ...

It's so tempting to read Rob's blog before posting my own ... but I won't. In the immortal words of Audrey Hepburn in her role of Eliza Doolittle, "I'm a good girl, I am."

The first thing I would like to critique tonight ... Miley Cyrus's outfit. I'm one of those who believes that if your shirt is longer than your shorts, get longer shorts. It's a little strange to see a girl running around in what appears to be just a shirt and boots. Oh, wait, what was that? I do believe I caught a glimpse of shorts there somewhere.

Moving on ...

Lee His performance showed more personality this week, but the song choice ... I don't know. It wasn't really him. I think he's safe, but I think it's more on the merit of his other performances and his already established fan base.

Paige She's my first choice for bottom three. Her voice has a nice tone to it, when she manages to use it correctly. But I haven't seen her use it correctly for a long time. Tonight she was pitchy and nervous.

Tim I really don't know what to say here. I think it was better than his other performances, which doesn't necessarily mean that it was good, but he's got a solid fan base. Pre-teen girls are all over this guy.

Aaron I wasn't blown away by Aaron, but I have to say, tonight was the first night I started to understand why he's in the competition. He really does have some talent in there. He's also got the pre-teen demographic, so he should be safe.

Crystal This girl is amazing. It really doesn't matter if you like her kind of music or not - she's so good at it, that even if you don't care for the song, you have to admire the artistry. Lily had the same kind of thing going, but Lily always sounded the same. Crystal brings variety to her sound, even though it's definitely her each and every time. In my notes on the performances, I wrote merely, "She just is." She's rock solid.

Mike Unlike Rob, I did watch American Idol all the way from auditions, and I fell in love with Mike from the start. Watching him coax his wife through labor via phone during Hollywood Week ... how could you not have a soft spot for the guy? He's got awesome vocals, a great personality ... tonight might not have been his best, but it was pretty dang good. He's safe.

Andrew I think Simon was right when he said they overrated Andrew's performance of "Straight Up." Andrew has not hit that level since then, and he hit a new low tonight. He's another choice for the bottom three.

Katie She did listen to the judges, but I have to say this ... I think the judges are steering her wrong. She has an older sound to her voice. She has moments where she sounds like a young female Buble, and they're trying to make her into a young, bubbly pop star. She is an old soul, and her voice shines when she sings the older songs. Would she make a million dollars? Probably not. But she'd be showcasing herself to the best of her ability. I think they need to leave her alone. Verdict: I think she's safe, but I don't think she did as well as the judges say she did.

Casey Rob compared Casey to Bucky Covington, but I have to say, oh, that's so not the case. Bucky was a hillbilly from the hilliest part of all hillbilly-dom, but Casey is hot. Casey is to the older woman what Tim and Aaron are to the younger girls. Casey is not going anywhere for a while. Despite what the judges said, I thought tonight he had a perfect song choice. He does have a little bit of that Huey Lewis sound - I didn't notice that until tonight, and I'm a huge Huey fan. Anyway, Casey is safe.

Didi Didi is my third choice for the bottom three. I just don't feel this girl's vibe. She has a nice sound, for one song. If I were to listen to a whole album of her, I'd go nuts. I sort of felt the same way about Lacy. I could handle one song, and then I'd want something else.

Siobhan I do understand that this girl has her own style, but I can't go any further without first saying ... the hair? Hello, girl, what are you doing? Okay, moving on ... I didn't really like the song choice, but she sang it well. She has an awesome voice and I think she could sing anything. She's definitely safe.

So, for my three bottom, I have Paige, Andrew, and Didi. To leave us tomorrow night ... Paige.

And there you have it - a critique on American Idol without having to watch Simon and Kara flirt shamelessly with each other in front of ten million people even though she's married and he's engaged. What's up with that?

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And the Loser Is ...

Honestly, I was not trying to hold up the party. I've been trying quite anxiously for two days to watch American Idol. But there's a little back story here ...

I am the mother of four children, three of whom are rambunctious little boys who become even more so (rambunctious - not little boys. I'm not sure how you would become more of a little boy) when they see television. We have a Netflix subscription (love it) and they see shows we already know don't make them act like monkeys on cocaine, but we've found that for us, the best way to control the situation is to do without television.

Hence, I watch my shows online, and the website I watch American Idol on has been down.

I promise, it's not my intention to be derelict in my duties as American Idol blogger. Nay, I take it most seriously. If I am unable to watch the show again this next week, I shall surrender unconditionally to Rob.

Hmmmm ... I wonder if Rob was sneaking around my Comcast box in the middle of the night with a pair of pliers ...

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American Idol Goes Smackdown

My esteemed colleague did get us off to a good start. Good start, esteemed colleague. I did want to make one clarification to his introductory post - we were simultaneously blogging about American Idol, but Rob had taken it to a whole new level. He has meters and graphs and studies the astrological charts of all the contestants and feeds it all into this amazing machine called the Rob-o-Predictor and is all scientific about it. Me? I'm more of a, "I like that." Or, "I didn't like that." But then two years ago (or was it longer ... it's all a blur) Rob challenged me to a duel, a mighty bloggers' duel (not too unlike a wizards' duel, with the same rule about the pink dragons) and asked me to start predicting. Thus it all began.

We are now at the beginning of a new era. No longer do we blog separately and all alone, but now, we blog side by side, nose to nose, toe to toe ... do you know how hard it is to type when nose to nose with someone? It's hard.

Join us every week as we bring you our thoughts - some scientific, some not - about America's favorite reality show. And who knows - we might be right once in a while.

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