I've watched American Idol since season 2. This show has always been my guilty pleasure, even before my recent reality show addiction (which I've kicked, thank God).

Last year's show was a complete and utter disaster. The contestants were so horrible, I couldn't even commit to watching all of the "Hollywood Week" episodes. Remember, this was the season that sparked the popularity of a website that encourages viewers to vote for the worst contestant. Remember Sanjaya? Yes? You wouldn't have had it not been for votefortheworst.com. He is the ONLY person I even vaguely remember from last year's show.

I had reservations about watching this year, but several of the auditions were entertaining so I decided to give Hollywood Week a try. After the underdog, the homeless Josiah Lemming, was eliminated, I vowed to boycott American Idol forever. In a moment of weakness, I didn't argue with the resident couch ornament when he wanted to watch the top 20 episode.

For once I can say I'm glad I listened to the couch potato.

Not all of this season's singers are talented. I love some of the contestants merely for their personality. I love some of them because I would have no one to make fun of if they weren't on the show. I love others for the totally fangirl reason of "he's so cute!". I love some of them because I would actually buy their music, even if they only recorded the remakes of the songs they sang on American Idol.

Here are my favorites this year:

Danny Noriega


My gay boy crush and the first openly homosexual contestant. He stood up to Simon Cowell's vicious comments and strutted around the stage like a Queen. He cried like a baby when his girlfriends were voted off, but managed to somehow hold it together when he finally got the boot.

Carly Smithson


This girl has some major pipes and a sexy Irish accent. I can't help but think of Father Ted every time I hear her speak. Her husband is the scariest looking dude I've seen in a while. We're still trying to figure out how he can possibly have gainful employment since his entire face is one big, ugly tattoo.



In 2001 when Carly was 17, MCA records spent $2 million dollars to record Carly's album. I read somewhere that a grand total of 397 CDs were sold and MCA eventually dropped Carly from their label. Duh.

Oh, and her Mom is smoking hot.

Kristy Lee Cook


This season's country crooner. If she doesn't either wax or dye her eyebrows soon, I'm going to fly out to LA and wax them myself. This girl seriously cannot sing, but I may just think that because I'm seriously distracted by the creepy crawly things over her eyes.

Ramiele Malubay


As we Southern girls like to say, "bless her heart"...as in "bless her heart, that poor girl hasn't yet discovered that she sounds like frog on acid".

Brooke White


Her eyes welled up with tears when she sat down at the piano and sang "Let it Be". Her performance was moving and I've been rooting for her since.

Oh, and her Mom is smoking hot.

Michael Johns


How is it possible that this sexy beast lives just 10 miles down the road from me and I haven't stalked him yet? Michael Johns is originally from Australia. He's a cross between Michael Hutchence of INXS and Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam, with a little Freddy Mercury thrown in, minus the flame. He'll go far in the competition based on his looks alone.

And now, my absolute favorite, David Cook.


I hated him in the beginning. He came across as arrogant and his cheesy, Cheshire cat grin didn't help matters.

All that changed when I heard Mr. Cook's version of "Hello" by Lionel Ritchie.



Who knew "Hello" could become a rock ballad? I cynically thought his Lionel Ritchie rendition was a fluke, but was willing to give him a chance. Mr. Cook didn't disappoint.

"Eleanor Rigby"



And "Day Tripper"



After that performance, Simon agreed with me and declared that David was a bit "smug". Alas, he redeemed himself last night.

"Billie Jean" Yes, *the* Billie Jean, by Michael Jackson.



I may learn to love emo music afterall.

We have Idol all over Europe.
It was Kurt Nilsen from Norway that won 'World Idol' in 2003
He beat Kelly Clarksen!



He has a fantastic and unique voice, and has gone from strength to strength.
And he is a really nice guy with it.
He hasn't been vacuum'd up into the whole pop culture.............. he still looks like he's just wandered in from a day's work on a building site.



But let me tell you........... THIS is Fucking impressive.


I have never heard a raw talent like that in a long time, and he deserves all the praise he got from Cowell & Co.

It was amazing.

Kurt Nilsen kind of reminds me of Brian Setzer. There's just something about him. If he was an American, he'd probably be singing country songs - his voice is well suited for that genre (which would be a waste, in my opinion).

I like this David Cook guy. I've only seen one epidode of AI this year (yesterday) and caught his rendition of Billy Jean. I wasn't even sure what the song was as he was singing it (I was only half paying attention), but I knew it was familiar. When I realized what it actually was, I paid closer attention.

He's good. I liked his versions of Hello and Elanor Rigby too. Unlike mos of the other AI contenders, I can actually see this guy selling records.

I'd probably buy one.

I watched some of yesterday's AI elmination episode yesterday. That was the first time I've ever seen any part of one of these episodes. (Damn you, doughnut fairy, for investing me in this show!) I saw part of the viewer's Q&A and the contestent elimination. I thought the question about how someone could replace Ryan Seacrest was odd. I'm sure it was all carefully staged and rehearsed, but that had to hurt the poor little elf. Simon couldn't have been more correct with his assessment of Seacrest's abilities, though. Yet somehow, he has become well known for this gig.

I was reading an LA Times' article about AI this morning and thought it was funny how the author referred to Seacrest as "the angel of Death."

Too true. All he needs is the hooded robe.

Seacrest has no actual talent. He plays the game, is asexual and is pretty.

I think I was a more avid watcher of AI around seasons 2 and 3. I have tuned in here and there since, but with no conviction. These days I am more impressed with the talent of the designers on Project Runway, and the cooks on Top Chef.

Eh, Project Runway is over. I miss my totally fierce crush, Christian.

I like Ryan Seacrest. That's a sure sign that he's gay.

We will usually just watch the first few episode to see all of the bad talent that is staged.

We fast-forwarded through most of last night's episode. Thank you, DVR!

David Cook was good, but not as impressive as he has been the past few weeks. The best performance was from Michael, the cutie that lives down the road from me.

I wonder how much jail time I'll get for stalking...

Sorry DF, he kinda has a Rob Lowe look, so he's probably into underage girls.

I'm just sayin'...


Is Kristy Lee still on the show?

ROB LOWE? Ewwwwww! I'm done with him now.

Kristy Lee is still on the show. The results will be broadcast tonight. I'm pretty sure she'll be staying for another week.

Yeehaw!

I caught the end of it because I was waiting for Hell's Kitchen to come on, and I saw the 5 second recap for each singer. It seems like a few of the hot womens have been kicked off (I last tuned in when there were 12 left I think). I did notice the Kristy Lee chick, but it seemed like she was singing country and so my dick shriveled up and crawled inside my body, and I will probably never be the same again. Too bad!

It was Dolly Parton night!

Did anyone sing 9 to 5?

Seriously though, how many of those 20-somethings even knew a DP song before this week?

That's my deal.

Even worse they air both Australian Idol & American Idol on our free to air TV here...

Okay, I'm done with the show this year.

I wanted to have Michael John's babies, but now that he's been voted off the show I won't be able to track his whereabouts.

Stupid Americans!

Quoted for recognising the priority.

I caught the last few minutes of the show yesterday, as they were recapping his AI experience and all the praise her received from the judges. I didn't hear him sing earlier to understand what he could have done that was bad enough to warrant removal, but his rendition of Dream On at the end was stirring.



I don't get it. He's a nice handsome guy (I mean that in the least gay way possible), a good singer and he has way more charisma than 90% of the other AI winners/finalists of this or any season. And that weird little midget dude is still there. What's up with that? Maybe because he's a foreigner? Hey, he should have sung a Foreigner song like Juke Box Hereo. That would have been sweet.

Paula was his biggest fan. And the tattooed chick was really broken up about his eliminations, wasn't she? She was bawling like a baby.


But most importantly, I have to ask you faithful viewers this: is Kristy Lee still on? She's yummy.

Our local Fox station did a recap on the news this morning about how shocked everyone was. I haven't watched in a long time, but was this guy that good?

In (belated) response to your question, Mike, yes, he was good. There are a lot of talented singers on the show this year, but if the goal is to find someone who will be a successful "star," you've got to take that weird little dwarf and dread-head out of the mix. In my opinion, it just doesn't make sense to dismiss the talented AND charismatic competitors. Hello, Ruben Studdard. Sold an records lately?


And on to this week's sad news...


Sigh. Buh-bye Kristy Lee.

I can't say that I'm familiar with any of Mariah Carey's body of work so I don't know how her version compared to the original and I don't love country music (other than Hayseed Dixie) so she doesn't get a points from me in that regard, but I'll still miss this cutie.

I've been trying to figure out what differentiates Kristy Lee from Carrie Underwood (and made her "worse" in America's eyes). I think it has something to do with her wooden, expressionless, unsmiling performances. She's a pretty girl, has a pretty voice and a good rack so I don't know what else it could be?

When they eliminate David Cook next week, I'll be finished with AI for another season.

There's still one hottie left. Hang on to hope man!!!

KLC is someone who could easily go on to have a successful career in country music.

I agree about the others. I don't quite get the guy with the dreads. To me he looks like a preppy who is trying too hard. He is not going to be any kind of commercial success with that dirty ratty looking hair. The last guy that had a music career with that hairstyle was Bob Marley - enough said.

Which one? The hippie chick?

I guess so. I don't watch it closely enough to know these things - in fact, I had to go look up her name.

Brooke. I think she's hot.

I'm still boycotting the show.

*shakes fist*

Yep, that's the hippie chick. She was bawling when Kristy Lee got booted.

She's pretty good looking, but I liked Kristy Lee better.

I saw the end of the show last night and I agree that KLC is better looking.

I must say though that I noticed a strange phenomenon. Typically, the female contenders become more refined and polished as the show goes on. Look at any of the finalists from any year and you can see a dramatic difference between their first audition and when they got into the later stages of the finals. However, I think the opposite is true for Kristy Lee. Don't get me wrong, she looks beautiful now, but last night when they played the clips of her AI "journey" I suddenly realized who she was. I distinctly remember that first audition of hers and being blown away by her looks, but somehow I had not connected that this was the same girl. To me the stylists made her slightly more homely looking once they got their hands on her. I think she looked even better before.

Of course, it might just be me that thinks this.

Is that kid still on there? I think he is around 16 or 17. I heard that he was really good. I don't watch the show so I can't remember his name or if he is still on there.

Yeah, he's still there.

He can sing, but he isn't pop star material. I actually think he's boring.

One of the radio stations here talked about him at the start. They said he had a great voice. Do you remember his name?

David Archuleta

He murders one of my favorite songs. He turns it into a funeral dirge.

John Lennon is thrashing about in his grave.

I like that song. He does have a great voice but I am not thrilled with his version of the song.

Another good one bites the dust.

The tattoo kinda puts me off, so I hadn't really paid much attention to her, but she's not a bad singer.


I love it when Andrew Lloyd Webber says, "That's not the song for a great big chest..."

She's a cute girl and has a good voice (and lives somewhere around here), so it's a shame that she's gone - even if she is a future or former Sucide Girl. It kills me that the dwarf (who everyone seems to love) and dreadlocks are still there, though.

Stupid Americans!

Oh no!

I thought for sure she would be one of the last ones to go.

I don't watch American Idol very often, so I missed this...

Weird.

It pisses me off that the happpy gnome and the dreadhead are still being fawned over by the judges. Maybe that's why I don't watch this show with any regularity. Oh, and Paula didn't stop at just one egregious faux pas.

Wow. Is Paula just a drunk or is she on drugs? How long before they go to a single judge? (Randy is just as worthless as Paula.)

Ummmmmmmmm, it's not weird - it just confirms what we all know is the real truth. It's rigged. They know what they are going to say before it happens because it's all scripted and the winner is chosen long before the final 10 are known. Paula just slipped up and let the cat out of the bag because she too doped up to know the difference.

She tried to explain herself on Seacrest's radio show this morning and succeeding in making even less sense...

I haven't actually watched American Idol for a few weeks (not even a recorded version - my DVR is AI-free). But I do catch the results in the news and check the more intriguing performances on youtube.

Paula Abdul has such a chubby for this guy. It's the same thing every week.

Here are all 3 of Dave COok's songs from yesterday:

I like the guy, but he's starting to sound more and more like...every other rocker guy out there. But I defintely prefer him to either of the other two.

The happy gnome can sing, but he's just lacking...something. Personality?

The American Idols are down to the final 2.



I don't think anybody needs to cry for Syesha Mercado, though. I suspect she might be better off not getting an AI-controlled recording contract. She's actually a really cute girl with a lot of talent, so I'll bet she's singing professionally and making a name for herself in no time.

It would probably be the best thing for David Cook if his weird little midget competitor wins so he can also avoid the AI controlled recording future...unless they've all already signed their lives away by even being on the show. I really don't know how it all works.

I'm not sure when this performance by former AI winner, Fantasia, was on American Idol, but I think we can all agree that it blows the credibility of this show right the hell out of the water.

I'll bet her albums have sold dozens of copies.

At least the dwarf can actually sing and doesn't just screech into the microphone. The look on Simon's face as the camera flashes on him midway through the performance says it all.


I honestly didn't htink anyone with half a brain would feel any differently about this performance than I did.

Wow. Maybe I'm just out of touch.

I broke down and watched last week's show.

I think Syesha is better suited for Broadway. The "midget" is better suited for a boy band. He's the same boring little thing every week. At least David Cook tries to change it up once in a while.

Tonight is the finale. I may actually have to break down and vote. I think David Archuletta has been carried through to the finals by all the little pre-teens you can hear screeching for him when he sings on the show.

David Cook has the Cougars on his side.



I couldn't help but chuckle when I saw that sign being held up in last Tuesday's audience.

I'm shocked and amazed.