Sabra Wins Season 3!

During the live finale, Sabra Johnson was named America's Favorite Dancer. She seemed genuinely surprised and happy.

Hopefully she will be an inspiration to many up and coming dancers, as she only starting dancing when she was 15. (She's 19 now.)

I thought the final show was wonderful, with repeat performances of some of the best routines of the season.

Good news to all of you Hok fans: Hok, Shauna, Anya, and Jesus will get to join the top 10 on tour as alternates, and Nigel hinted at them being more than alternates, saying on tour, you may just get to see "the Hummingbird....." (Hok's performance.)

Thanks to everyone for playing this summer, and perhaps the best news came last night when Nigel announced the show had been picked up for another season. Here's to next summer!

Top 4 perform!

Last night we saw the top four dancers from "So You Think You Can Dance" perform. While the show had great moments, I was expecting it to be as great as the top 6 show. It was good, with some great moments (Danny's solo,) and now tonight we will find out who the winner will be.

Some things to comment about:

• The "fox" routine. What????? I actually loved it, but felt it probably wasn't the right time or place for that routine. I loved it, though.
• The male "throne" routine. Loved it. Loved Neil's makeup for it. I think they messed up because we never saw Neil leap over Danny completely like we saw during the "rehearsal" segment several times. Loved the routine anyway.
• Sabra's solo. It didn't blow me away. At all. I expected more.
• The Lindy Hop. I liked it, and it looked difficult and extremely athletic. But, did they seem tired to you? How could they not be?
• What was up with Nigel saying he thought a girl should win it, just because one never has? Someone online said "I voted non-stop for the guys just because of Nigel's comment."
• I love the family support: especially the Schwimmers and the Walls (Danny's family), and I saw a big group for Neil. There are a lot of Sabra fans, too. Me included.

Okay, more comments? Look for your email from Beth for clarification of how to send in your picks for today! Good luck everyone!

Top 6 perform!

Last night the top 6 performed! I don't know about you, but I think they are all fantastic and it's going to be hard to have two leave on Monday night. Then, we will see the top 4 on Wednesday, with a two-part finale - two hours Wednesday, and two-hours on Thursday. Whew! I have to block out some time!

Guest judge Debbie Allen joined regular judges Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe. The six remaining dancers performed two couple dances and one solo dance. In what will likely go down as the best overall So You Think You Can Dance performance show ever, the judges were blown away by several incredible performances, as was I.

For their first couples dance, Pasha and Lacey danced hip-hop to “In the Morning” by Junior Boys. Nigel said “I thought it was danced very well, and I think it brought your characters to life.” Mary said “I just can’t believe the two of you together how it’s come along.” Debbie said “Great opening number.” I thought they did a good job, but Lacey didn’t really get to shine to her full potential, and Pasha was really good, but didn’t blow me away. He was great in character and played the part well, of a geeky guy who has fantasies with a mannequin???

For their second couples dance, Pasha and Lacey danced “smooth waltz” to “A Daisy In December” by Mick McAuley & Winfred Horan. Nigel said “I thought the rise and fall, the flow of the movement, the lines and everything was absolutely beautiful.” Nigel didn’t like Lacey’s hands going down at the ends instead of making a continuous line, however. Mary said “It was absolutely dreamlike.” Debbie said “This was like Love Story, and everyone watching wanted to be one of you.” It really was beautiful. I think Pasha is probably one of the best dance partners of all time. But, again, it really didn’t show off what they could do. These two would have been the perfect couple for the Paso Doble, right? A Latin dancer and Latin dancer! Come on! That would have been amazing.

For their first couples dance, Danny and Lauren danced contemporary to “Then You Look at Me” by Celine Dion. Nigel said “Incredible! Absolutely incredible!” Mary said “It was a really a special treat to be sitting here actually and watch the two of you dance that like you did.” Debbie said “This was passion and perfection personified.” This piece was choreographed by Mia Michaels, and it was unlike anything we’ve seen before. They were running all over the stage. They did a great job with it, and it was technically difficult as well.

For their second couples dance, Danny and Lauren danced Disco to “Don’t Leave Me This Way” by The Communards. Nigel said “Absolutely incredible.” Mary said “I thought it was so much fun.” Debbie said “What a perfect duo, the two of you together.” This piece was also actually quite difficult, technically. They pulled it off, and actually looked like they were having fun. I can only hope that people like Danny more and vote for him, as he is an amazing dancer.

For their first couples dance, Neil and Sabra danced Jazz to “Sweet Dreams” by the Eurythmics. They were like cops in a “questioning room” arguing over a table. I’m sure that’s the correct technical term. Nigel said “I hope the finale comes up to this standard, because the dancing and choreography this week are just incredible.” Mary said “You were both equally terrific.” Debbie said “That’s how I like it, hard and fast etc.” Nigel gave Debbie a look, like, this is inappropriate and sounds very sexual. He actually looked a little embarrassed. What is going on between those two, anyway?

For their second couples dance, Neil and Sabra danced Paso Doble to “Espana Gani” by Juan & Gennaro. Nigel said “Wow that was absolutely stunning.” Mary said “I think you guys did tremendous.” (Um, grammar police!) Debbie said “I was so thrilled to see y’all dance this tonight.” This was really fun to watch. Neil was great, and looked great! Sabra was cute, too, of course. And, what about the “human donut” move? That was crazy! But again, this dance really should have gone to Pasha and Lacey, who both do Latin dance.

In the solo dances, Sabra danced to “Rock You Soul” by Elisa. Her solo was amazing, I thought. Pasha danced to “Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler. He used a mannequin, which was a little different. Don’t know that I loved his solo. Maybe this week’s mannequin partner dance really got him going on the mannequin fantasy. Just kidding, Pasha, you know I think you’re great! I am a little worried, though. Lauren danced to “Sorry” by Maria Mena. Neil danced to “Out Of My Hands” by the Dave Matthews Band. His solo made me say “wow” a few times. Lacey danced to “Le Disco” by Shiny Toy Guns. This solo was on the risqué side, and I actually noticed her hair extensions a lot, Candice! I didn’t love her solo. Danny danced to “The Fear You Won’t Fall” by Joshua Radin. His solo was good, but I don’t think he needed to lean over backwards off the stage. Maybe he was trying to connect to the song title.

Okay, I'm finally going to talk about this "hush-hush" topic: number fingers. We see it in American Idol, we see it in So You Think You Can Dance. Do "number fingers" bug you? They kind of bug me. If someone was #2 and stuck the two fingers up their nose, I would think that was funny, though.

Also, it seemed like all the judges were unusually nice tonight.

Who will be the next two dancers to be eliminated from So You Think You Can Dance? After this performance show, none of them deserve to go home, so it will likely be a very close vote. The next two eliminations will be revealed on the next results show, airing on a special day and time: Monday, August 13 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT). So, get your votes in to Beth by 5:00 pm Monday!

The Top 8 Perform!!

The guest judge for this week is Adam Shankman (director of Hairspray) joining us for a second time.

The contestants will once again be randomly paired up, but tonight they will perform two routines.

First up are Danny and Sara. They have Argentine Tango and Hip Hop. They start off with their Argentine Tango choreographed by Alex Da Silva. Very sexy routine. Sara was great and did you check out that twist move through Danny’s arm. Danny’s technique is exquisite and when he moves it like he is floating or spinning on ice when he does his pirouettes.

Dominic and Lauren are up next. They got Krump and Rumba. They are Krumpin’ first doing a Lil’ C routine. This should be a good one and for the most part I liked it. However they were out of synch at times. It felt more like a hip hop routine than Krump, but good job. Not the best we’ve seen.

Lacey and Neil got Latin Jazz and Contemporary. First they are doing their Latin Jazz routine choreographed by Maria Torres. I don’t know about the Crunch folks. It seems a little scary to me. You definitely have to have faith in your partner. I really liked the choreography. I wasn’t sure what to expect in a Latin Jazz routine. I really liked the music and that style of dance. I totally agree with Adam’s comments about Lacey needing to connect with her partners more. She focuses on the audience and that takes away from the connection with her partner and fully giving herself to the piece. The judges really tore into them and what they brought (or didn’t) bring to the routine. Will Neil’s bare chest get them enough votes? Not sure.

The final first round routine is with Sabra and Pasha. Can I just say that I love watching Sabra dance. She is my favorite girl hands down. They picked Broadway and the Quick Step. Their first routine is a Broadway choreographed by Tyce Diorio. That was a fun routine. And they got a Mary Murphy scream. Great reviews from all the judges and kudos to Tyce on his choreography. Nigel feels that they both deserve to be around next week.

Now its time for the second round of performances. First up are Danny and Sara with a Shane Sparks Hip Hop routine. Can Danny pull this off? Hip Hop is not his forte. This will be a cake walk for Sara. How did they do? Ok. That didn’t work for me at all. I don’t know if it was the choreography but the performances were not at the level that I thought they should have been. Danny looked a mess and was too worried about his little hat. Adam liked it but Mary called it like I saw it. If this were to be the first time that we saw them, I wouldn’t vote for them. This may affect them with the voting.

Lauren and Dominic are up next with a Tony Meredith Rumba. This is a sexy routine so they have to connect and show the chemistry. Bill Withers should help them out. How about that smooch at the end? I thought they did a really good job. They had the chemistry that was missing in Lacey and Neil’s routine. I can’t comment on whether it was a good Rumba, but according to Mary it was a different Rumba and they performed what Tony choreographed. They needed more hip action in their movements.

Next up is Lacey and Neil with a Mia Michael’s contemporary routine. A “Reunion in Heaven” with Mia and her dad. This will be a special one and as brilliant as her other pieces. That was absolutely beautiful and touching. Mia is so one of the best. Lacey and Neil were great with this. Lacey look like a giddy little girl.

Last up is Sabra and Pasha doing a Tony Meredith Quick Step. That just looks like a lot of work. Very fun and they did a great job. Nigel felt they were the best couple of the night for him based on both of their routines.

So who is going home? Post your thoughts.

Top 10 results show

Bye-bye to Kameron and Jaimie.

No more faux hawks for awhile....maybe not until next season's American Idol.

Jaimie, I will miss your beautiful dancing, and Kameron, I feel I never really got to know your dancing, besides your partnering with Lacey.

I thought that Mia was wearing that upside-down Marine emblem on purpose, but apparently she had no idea what she was wearing. So, hence the appology from Mia about the jacket on Wednesday night. And, Nigel tried to explain the "anti-war" dance by Wade Robeson. I got what he was trying to say. Yes, it would great to have peace all the time, and I think that was Nigel's message.

I loved Mia's opening routine. I don't know about you guys, but sometimes I'm frustrated by the camera angles that we are forced to watch. Sometimes I want to see the big picture more, etc. But, a great routine, I thought.

Thoughts on the show, anyone?

Top 10 perform

Tonight on So You Think You Can Dance, the top 10 performed. Everyone received a new partner and the format changes for the rest of the season. Each couple performed a partner routine as usual, but a solo routine was added for each individual dancer. And, from here on out, the judges no longer get to help decide who stays and who goes. America will vote for individual dancers, and the guy and girl with the lowest vote totals will be eliminated, up until the final four, I believe. The guest judge tonight was Mia Michaels.

Cat is wearing another cave-girl outfit, this time shiny and blue, with lots of eye makeup. And, of course, she looks fabulous.

Pasha and Lauren start off the show with a hip/hop routine choreographed by Shane Sparks. They both wear skeleton outfits, which looks kind of cool. It was a fun, creative routine that was really entertaining. I was worried for Pasha, but he pulled it off. The judges are all impressed by the routine.

Jaimie is the first to perform the solo to a John Mayer song. Good routine. Jaimie's always good at her solos, and she doesn't hurt herself here. Dominic performs the solo routine, wearing the peace sign, and he does a good job, but shows that contemporary isn't his best thing. I think it was really good, considering, and showed lots of that coveted emotion that the judges keep talking about.

Sabra and new partner Kameron will be performing a Tyce DiOrio contemporary routine. They dance to a version “Amazing Grace”. I loved the music, and actually loved the routine. Sabra is beautiful to watch, and I thought that Kameron was good, too. But, not as fabulous Sabra. Okay, so the judges then took out their daggers. Mary and Mia both really call out Kameron. Mia even says that the routine “exposed” Kameron. Everyone loves Sabra, however. I would agree.

Next up for the solo is Sara. She is good, and I thought showed really good feeling and emotion.

Pasha comes out to dance his solo. He was good, but didn't really stand out from the other solos.

Lacey and Danny are paired up, which I thought should be fabulous. I thought they WERE really great - they looked amazing out there. Danny has such beautiful lines and style. Lacey was superb, as I expected at this kind of dance - Samba

Lauren and Neil dance their solos. They were good. Each brought a few interesting moments. Sabra quickly follows and she wins for the biggest scream. I liked her version of this.

Kameron comes back strong after his verbal abuse from the judges and performs his solo well.

Jaimie is teamed up with Dominic and they'll be performing the Viennese Waltz. Ooooo, I was worried for Dominic. Dominic is a funny guy, and tries to add humor and over-acting to this dance that he's never done before. Here come the daggers again. Nigel uses the phrase “over-egg the pudding”. Nigel is really disappointed with the hamminess of Dominic. Mary and Mia also agree that the lines and technique were terrible. The judges are pretty brutal.

Lacey dances the solo. She's good. Danny puts the solo out of it's misery, as he's the last to perform it.

Sara and Neil are the final couple tonight, and they'll be dancing a solo. These guys were fabulous. So fun, and so entertaining. Looooooved it!!!!!!!!!! Neil shows off some ridiculous athleticism and Sarah continues to impress. The judges all love the routine. Neil has really shown that he has skills, and so has Sara.

So,..... let's hear it y'all. Who is going home? I think the sexy award goes to Danny and Lacey, and the fun award goes to Neil and Sara. The cavegirl award goes to Cat. The most reprimanded tonight might be a tie between Kameron and Dominic.

....And then there were ten!

Oh, man! Hok is gone. I loved his dancing and his accent.

Best wishes to you, Hok!

And, for the girls, Anya is gone. It's a shame, because all her partnering was superb. It's the solos that got her. I was smiling a huge smile at her outfit, too.

Okay, comments?

Top 12 Perform

Tonight the top 12 performed, and it's a big week, as the judges told us...and told us.....and told us, because the top 10 get to tour. So, here we go!

Cat Deeley looked great in a slinky coral slouchy drinking straw wrapper. The judges were Wade Robson, choreography master, along with Mary, wearing a black giraffe dress, with black sleeves that were missing the shoulders, and sand dollars in her ears, and Nigel, looking better than usual, I thought, in his dark suit with red polka dot tie.

First up were Sabra and Dominic. These two sure are likable. They danced a jive. Wade called them firecrackers that were focused with positive energy. Mary thought they were terrific, but there were some technical things that weren't exactly right, and Nigel thought they were amazing, and great partners for each other. Nigel came up with his geeky comment of the week, to Dominic, "You are living proof that they are still producing gold up there (in Sacramento.)"

Next came Jaimie and Hok. They danced Broadway to Mr. Bojangles. The judges praised Jaimie - across the board. She danced beautifully, had great lines, and was classy. But, they all wanted more from Hok. I thought he was a little trapped by his choreography, but ..... the judges didn't like his performance. Uh-oh.

Third were Sara and Pasha. They danced jazz, and Wade liked the routine a lot. Mary and Nigel thought they did a great job. Even so, Nigel felt it might not be enough to keep them out of the bottom three, because it was so stylized. Sara actually looked great - so cute. Pasha, you know I love him, but the outfit really did nothing for him. They were really really good tonight, though!

Next came Lauren and Neil. What was up with the costumes? Beanies and goggles. Too funny. I liked it because it was so unusual. Mia Michels of course. Mary said it was really good, not great. Wade thought it was really well executed. Nigel didn't understand it, nor like it, but thought they did a good job.

Anya and Danny were next, doing the Foxtrot. All the judges loved them. Wade said that finally Danny showed emotion and personality. Mary thought they were fabulous, and Nigel said it was the best Foxtrot they've seen on this stage. They were great. Danny was actually smiling, and gave Anya a kiss on the cheek at the end that showed genuine happiness and connection with his partner.

Lacey and Kameron were next with a Britney Spears schoolgirl number. Boy chasing girl. I think that they played the roles well for the choreography. Oh wow, what an original theme, girl in cheerleading outfit being sassy with a boy. But, I think that Lacey played it well, and danced really well. I was surprised that she was that good at hip hop. Wade said that Kameron wasn't "snappy" enough for him, and that he "wasn't in the pocket." Oh, master of choreography, we know it didn't have enough quick snappy movements, while leaning slightly backwards. But, ..... I think that Lacey did outshine Kameron slightly. Mary said that Lacey was "right on point," and Nigel said that the dance wasn't his favorite.

So......who will it be going home tonight? The judges said that this is the last time that they will have a say in who stays and goes. After this, it's up to the voting viewers.

Let's hear what you think. Were the judges too harsh on Hok? Do they love Sabra and Dominic too much because they are newer dancers? Will Sara and Pasha be seen on the town in their suspenders and neon? If Anya is in the bottom three, what crazy outfit will she wear? Were those swimming goggles that Lauren and Neil were wearing? Let's hear it!

Top 14 Results Show

I can't believe it! Sanjaya is finally off the show!!!

Oh, I mean Cedric. The nice part of tonight with the guys, is that I didn't have to feel bad about someone leaving. Cedric probably knew it, too.

But, it's a different story with the girls! Shauna could really dance. So could Cedric in HIS style. But, Shauna has years and years of training, and could do many styles. So, it's hard to see her go. But, that's how it's going to be now. They all have to go bye-bye eventually, until the top two! I think if Anya ends up in the bottom three again, the judges might not keep her around much longer because of her solos.

I act as if I actually watched it. My DH (Darling Husband) accidently stopped it from being recorded because he was watching part of The Devil Wears Prada. What???? So, if you actually got to watch the whole show, and not just the last 10 minutes of it (like me,) please post your comments!

I loved the comments from today, so keep up the posts. I love it!

Is this Cedric's week?

So, I won't take time to recap all of the performances - mostly because I don't know what the hell I'm talking about. As for Cedric, I thought he was the weakest guy last night and in my opinion, the judges were making nice with him given how badly they trashed him last week. I think it was over done and once again, their comments could have an unfair impact on the voting public. Last week, I think he and Shauna got so many sympathy votes that they were not even in the bottom three. This week, the comments were so positive that they could unfairly color the opinions of the viewers. At any rate, I'm putting him in the bottom three and out this week.

As for the girls, it's a much tougher call. I have a feeling about this being Anya's week to go. However, I do recall last week the judges absolutely panning Lauren as though they would have eliminated her, but was ultimately spared because of their obvious pre-disposition to dismiss Jessi. I think Nigel made it very clear last night that it didn't matter how well she would have danced in her "dance for your life" segment, that they were not going to condone the idea that one could fain illness and somehow escape elimination through. You could tell by the resolution and lack of explanation that in their view, it had to be done. As for Shauna, I could also pick her to go, but I think she somehow saves her own life well when put in that position. Sabra, same thing.

What are your thoughts?

~Bradey

Another week of upsets - when will it end and when will Cedric go home?

Let me start off by saying that last week’s elimination show was a complete shock. Should Jimmy have been sent home? I would have to say no. I’m all about giving uniqueness a chance but how far will Cedric really go on this show. Jimmy is more versatile and can grow in the other areas of dance. Cedric is not this year’s Ivan and he’s not Dominic. What do you all think?

Now on to this week. We’ve had another week of fantastic dancing, brilliant choreography, surprises and upsets.

Let’s recap the Wednesday’s performance show.

The top 16 performed. I would have to say no.

What do you all think of Cat Deeley? My twelve year old son has a real problem with her. I need to find out why. He is really bothered with her.

Joining Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe this wee was Debbie Allen. One of the things that Debbie Allen said about the contestants was that “Their dance vocabulary is expanding.” That is so true and the essence of this show. Mary Murphy stayed with this theme highlighting Dominic and how he hasn’t disappointed the judges at all. She went on to say that he is a very hard working young man that is going to make a difference in the dance world. Nigel is also pleased with the contestants and acknowledged the fantastic choreography.

The show starts off with Sarah and Jesus. I love love love them. Sarah has been such a surprise for me and Jesus is a little cutie pie. They had to perform a Krump routine choreographed by Lil’C (one of the founders). This style of dance is not easy and can be very “rough” and “gansta”. You have to let your body move and feel it. Did they pull it off? They rocked it. They are such a great partner pair. They have so much personality and energy when they work together. It was a lot of fun and I thought they would be safe. Obviously I was wrong!!

Next up was Shauna and Cedric. Well, let me first say that Shauna sure did dance for her life last week. I thought she was going home (as did everyone else apparently based on the picks from last week), but she showed how important those last 30 seconds are. She’s not one of my favorites and I don’t know how long she will last. We’ll see. Shauna and Cedric had to dance a Mia Michael’s contemporary routine. Oh boy. Hopefully Mia can help them out. Sauna’s dancing was beautiful. She gave it her all during this performance. Cedric looked too stiff for me and for a while there he really wasn’t doing anything. So there wasn’t a lot off dancing from him to judge. If they are safe, Shauna saved him. (Which is exactly what I think happened – yes, the speech at the end helped, but let’s focus on the dancing for now.) What did the judges think? Debbie loved them both. Mary didn’t think it was good enough. They felt Mia was brilliant in the choreography by limiting the amount of dance the Cedric had. If he gets voted off, he is still a winner by getting to study under one of the greatest dancers/choreographers, Debbie Allen. I like how Nigel got him a scholarship.

Next up was Lacey and Kameron. They performed the quick step choreographed by Tony Meredtih. They looked great together. They have a lot of chemistry. Kameron sealed the dance with a kiss. (Another Benji spotting – he’s gone blond). They both did great for this not being their style. They are another couple to beat and should be safe for this week.

Next we have Anya and Danny doing Hip Hop. I don’t know if any of you have seen Berry Gordy’s “The Last Dragon” fans (movie from the 80s – one of the characters is Bruce Leroy). Well Danny looks just like the main character of that movie. Anyway, they picked hip hop for this week’s style and had to work with Dan Karaty. They were both nervous. I was worried about Anya with this style. She looked like she wasn’t getting it in their practice session. Well, they turned it into a little sexy hip hop routine. They pulled it off to me and I thought that their chemistry and performances in the other weeks would make them safe. At times they reverted back to their own styles and didn’t hit the moves as succinct as they could. They got through this together and their charisma should save them this week. If they were to make it in the bottom three, they will easily save themselves. I guess I had a little premonition for what was to come!

Next up was Sabra and Dominic. They are the underdogs. Sabra has been brilliant and Dominic has been a huge surprise. This week they had to dance the Rumba choreographed by Jean-Marc Genereux. The Rumba is a passionate style of dance and this was the first time it had been performed on the show. Neither one had ever done this style. Sabra looked absolutely beautiful during their performance. Dominic did so well. I would have never guessed that this wasn’t his style or that he was a B-Boy. Now I can’t judge if the technique was on, but it looked great and was a HOT routine. Mary Murphy sealed the deal making them the only couple that got a Mary Murphy screen.

Three more couples to go.

Lauren and Neil are up next. They have the tango choreopraphed by Jean-Marc Genereux. This style is like a cat/mouse chase. There was something about their performance that I didn’t like as much. I think it may have been Lauren. I needed her to engage more than she was. Neil was great and I found myself drawn to him much more than Lauren. I guess according to Mary it had some technical issues. They could find themselves in the bottom three. We’ll see. I will say that the hairstylist liked the curls on the side of the face this week. First it was Lacey and then Lauren (and they both had the red hot dresses on.)

Now to the performance of the night. Hok and Jaimie had to perform a jazz routine choreographed by Wade Robson. I would love to work with Wade. His pieces are brilliant and engaging in their story. Hopefully Hok will be a little more comfortable with this style. Jaimie was to portray a flower and Hok a hummingbird bird. Wade did it again. This was the best routine tonight and one that will be remembered. They both were in character the entire piece. Hok’s movements were right on and he fluttered just like a humming bird. Jaimie was a blooming flower and here technique was amazing. They stepped it up big time from last week’s performance.

Last up was supposed to be Pasha and Jessie dancing a Cha Cha routine choreographed by Tony Meredith. We found out after their practice clips that Jessie had to be rushed to the hospital and wasn’t cleared for the show. So instead Pasha had to dance with Bette Midler. This was great for the ladies because we got to focus on Pasha. Jessie will have to dance for her life and it may be her time. She was in the bottom three last week and the judges said that she was weak when dancing for her life.

Last night’s elimination show was another shocker and upset. The first couple to make it to the bottom three was Neil and Lauren. I wasn’t that surprised because at this point we will start to see the good couples in the bottom. The next two couples to come to the stage to find their fate was Jesus and Sarah and Sabra and Dominic. Now I love these two couples, so it was hard to see that one of them would have to be in the bottom. Between the two, I would rather see Jesus and Sarah and that is what happened. Last up was the choice between Danny and Anya and Cedric and Shauna. Well I (like everyone) else thought this was a no brainer. I actually fast forwarded my dvr to watch them dance for their lives. But when I stopped the tape and heard that Cedric and Shauna were safe I was baffled. Danny and Anya looked so surprised and probably pissed off. All that Danny could do was laugh. And Jessie had to dance for her life. And who got voted off: Jessie and Jesus. I’m not surprised by Jessie going home but the way they announced it was unfair to her (and us). No explanation just “Jessie you will be leaving us tonight.” And Jesus going home. I am just sick about this because it should have been CEDRIC!!!!!!! He has got to go home. We can’t have another Sanjaya episode with this show. I would have never thought it with SYTYCD. America get it right!!!

Top 18 results show - Aaaaaah!

Aaaaahhhhh!

The horror! The anguish!...... Jimmy is gone!
(He was in my top four so now I am screwed as far as points go.)

Here’s a short recap.

To open the show, all 18 dancers did a group dance to “It Was All In Your Mind” by Wade Robson. This confused me because I thought that meant that Wade had choreographed it, but found out that Shane Sparks was the master of this one. I loved it! Very fun to watch! But, I didn’t know that Wade composed music as well. Jeez, he really needs to set some goals for himself, he’s such a slacker. Also, Shane choreographs to a Wade song. How incestuous IS this dance world? Next Wade will choreograph to a Mia ballad. Then Mia will choreograph to a Nigel polka song. Then Mary will choreograph a ballroom routine to a Shane Sparks song and everyone will wear heels and glitter.

Then, Cat Deeley, dressed in yellow (who can wear yellow and look that good?) called in Lauren Gottlieb & Neil Haskell, Jessi Peralta & Pasha Kovalev, and Jaimie Goodwin & Hok Konishi. Cat revealed that Lauren & Neil and Jaimie & Hok were safe, but Jessi & Pasha were in the bottom three. What the heck? The birds? The feather munchers? How many feathers does one have to swallow to stay in this competition? Why, I never! No, really, I was surprised.

The second group was Lacey Schwimmer & Kameron Bink, Anya Garnis & Danny Tidwell, and Sabra Johnson & Dominic Sandoval. Cat tricked us, you trickster Cat, and told us that all three couples were safe. Sabra and Dominic were so happy, it was actually very cool to see. They did some groping and rolling around on the floor, and then proceeded to invade Cat’s personal space to hug her. Cat actually seemed emotionally moved, as was I. See, it’s the underdog story in play here.

The third group was Sara Von Gillern & Jesús Solorio, Shauna Noland & Jimmy Arguello, and Faina Savich & Cedric Gardner. Cat revealed that Sara & Jesús were safe, but Shauna & Jimmy and Faina & Cedric were in the bottom three.

Then, the 6 bottom dancers had to “dance for their lives.” Also known as “dance for the judges.” Jessi Peralta danced to “Hurts So Bad” by Kina. The judges didn’t like it. What was she doing, anyway? Pasha Kovalev danced to “Ain’t Nothing Wrong With That” by Robert Randolph & The Family Band. He was like a mellowed down version of Benji Schwimmer, but didn’t show us a lot. Come on, Pasha, I’m counting on you to stay in this for a while! Shauna Noland danced to “Everything” by Lifehouse. She was INCREDIBLE. Really! Jimmy Arguello danced to “Veins” by Charlotte Martin. I just love Jimmy. Good dancer and seems to be a nice guy. Faina Savich danced to “Do You Love Me” by The Contours. I was trying to like it, and it wasn’t bad. It just wasn’t great. Then, Cedric Gardner danced to “Hide And Seek” by Imogen Heap.

While the judges deliberated, special guest Daddy Yankee performed “Impacto” from his new album “El Cartel: The Big Boss.” What the heck is going on? Now I’m really going to have to speak Spanish to be cool, I guess.

On the girls’ side, the judges selected Faina Savich for elimination. Faina said “I would like to say that this experience has been truly, truly by far the most like amazing I’ve ever had in my life.” On the boys’ side, the judges selected Jimmy Arguello for elimination.

No, really, I felt like Jimmy was great. Like Mia said, he fully commits to every dance that he does. He has great energy and a great attitude. Not to mention great skills. So, the judges chose to cut him in favor of Cedric. Not fair, in my opinion. Cedric IS amazing, and unique. Tonight during his solo he looked like a rubber band, and not a human. He needs to be in a movie where he can be applauded and spotlighted. He is amazing at what he does best- his own style of dance. But, what he is not is versatile. Isn’t this a dance competition that shows lots of different kinds of dance, and aren’t you supposed to be great at everything? Jimmy, I feel your pain. You were one of my favorites. Cedric, I love your style, too, but dog, don’t take out Jimmy!

But, huge relief that Pasha was not taken out. I think that all the ladies need to see him dance some more. The judges didn’t cut him any slack on his solo, so hopefully he will take their advice and “wow” us all in the future solos. (Pasha, just no Russian flag underwear, please.)

Okay, so Faina is gone. I have to blame this on two things: the hip hop “draw” in the first round and her partner in this second round. I think that if she had Pasha or Danny as a partner, and had drawn other types of dances, she would still be here. I was just thinking how beautiful she was during her “exit video” and how blue her eyes looked as she stood there teary eyed. She is incredible: incredible skills, incredibly beautiful. I wish her many wonderful things in the future. I felt she was very gracious in her exit seconds of tv time as well. Love to you, Faina.

I have to agree with the judges on the other bottom two girls. Jessi’s solo was kind of blah, and Shauna’s was amazing. Really, after Shauna danced, I thought, “okay, they can’t send her home now.” So, she was saved. Jessi-girl, you have to fight for it!

So……what do you all think?

Top 18 perform

What a great night on the show! There were some great performances tonight! I'm going to jump right into the show and get started here!

First off, Cat Deeley comes out in a halter dress that looks like someone threw up cranberry juice and blue playdough on it. She looked fabulous as usual. Then, we got to see all the dancers one by one, with of course, more rolling on the floor by Dominic.

The judges tonight are Mia, wearing a brooding black and gray shirt, Mary, wearing a spider web shirt with white, green, and orange, and Nigel, wearing all the same color matching his hair, and looking very tan. Probably from some exotic vacation house, rather than being sprayed by the girls from Sunset Tan. Mia said she was "gagging" about last week, and that America got it wrong.

Lauren and Neil danced first to a Dave Scott hip hop routine. I loved the choreography here! Fabulous. Neil is so darn cute and he and Lauren said they need to work on their chemistry. The judges liked them, much better than last week, and that they set the bar. They were good.

Then came Jessi and Pasha. They did Afro-Jazz. Fabulous. Are those feathers on Pasha's shoulder? Oh yes, and feathers in Jessi's mouth at the end for a nice touch. I really liked this piece. So different. Pasha is hot. He really is. Mia, Mary, and Nigel all thought it was great.

Next were Jaimie and Hok. Hok really surprised me in this one. It was a great performance, according to Nigel, but Mary pointed out that it wasn't technically correct in many parts. But, really, that Hok did well in partnering was pretty surprising and amazing. Okay, I was cracking up at Hok's pants and open shirt. He actually looked sleek and svelt. Jaimie was all sparkly.

Dominic and Sabra were next with a contemporary routine. Bird theme tonight. Sabra was a bird, and Dominic was a creature. ??? Actually, I thought this was great. I actually got chills because I thought that they did such a great job, when I wasn't really expecting it. Mia was teary-eyed, the judges were so proud of them. That was touching. Sort of like rooting for the underdog, and the underdog pulls through.

Faina and Cedric were next. They got the Fox Trot. Cedric, I'm so sorry. He was sort of a prop for Faina that didn't move very much. Faina was beautiful, but could not show how fabulous she is at this style with a partner who is an "insecure Michael Jackson." Hmm.... has Michael Jackson ever been insecure? Well, I guess changing your appearance so much that you don't look anything like you used to could be caused from insecurity. Or craziness. But, Cedric WAS insecure. I'm worried about him this week.

Lacey and Kameron brought out the sparkles for a broadway routine. Kameron said that "Lacey and I are working wll together....our relationship is 'growing.' It will 'show' in the dance." Good thing he wasn't wearing ballet tights. Hmmmm...... maybe they are "practicing" a lot together. Really, though, they are smoking. It was a great routine. The judges loved it. Nigel thought he was funny, I think, when he was kidding Kameron about asking Lacey's dad for her hand in marriage, etc. Ha ha ha. You are scaring the kids, Nigel.

Anya and Danny danced the Viennese Waltz to "You and Me," which was absolutely beautiful. I love these two and the judges do also. I got chills again to this one. It was so graceful. It blows me away that neither of them had done this kind of dance before. Nigel called it the routine of the night.

Jimmy and Shauna were next. Another Dave Scott routine. The judges liked it, and Mia said that Jimmy always fully commits to his dances. I love Jimmy. Shauna is good, too, but I think Jimmy outshines her.

Next was Sara and Jesus, dancing the Paso Doble to Queen???? Okay, I love Queen. And I love the Paso Doble. (sp?) I just can't spell it, I don't think. The Paso Doble from Paso Robles. Okay, my opinion is that most of the viewers haven't seen this kind of dance, so it might be nice to do it with the music that is usually goes with. Some Spanish mateador music. Jesus looked great, and Sara looked good, too. I was a little distracted that she is bigger than he is, and this is a macho kind of dance. I think she might be able to kick his a*s if she had to. (I told you to get that bull the **** away from me! You call yourself a bullfighter? HA! Don't make me kick your a*s again!) But, they were great, especially Jesus. It was kind of wierd though, with the music they were given.

Okay, what do you think? I think Faina and Cedric are in trouble, but it's hard for me to pick the other bottom two. Maybe Jaimie and Hok? Or Shauna and Jimmy? Or Sara and Jesus? Thoughts?

Who do you think can dance?

What an exciting first week of dancing. We had some very talented dancers performing routines by brilliant choreographers. You’ve got to love Mia and Wade’s routines. Any of the couples that get to work with them will stand out from the rest.

So now let’s get down to it with a quick wrap up of this week. Everyone join in and discuss your favorites, whether it be couples, individual dancers or the choreographers.

So our judges for this week were Dan Karaty (Hip Hop choreographer), Mary Murphy (Ballroom) and Nigel Lythgoe.

The first couple up was Jamie and Hawk. Jamie is a contemporary dancer who says that ballroom and hip hop make her nervous. Hawk is a breaker who is so unique in his style and has moves that will blow you away. Lucky for Hawk they got to perform a Shane Sparks hip hop routine. Jamie caught on pretty well and had a lot of energy and enthusiasm when learning the choreography. With hip hop you need high energy and feel the music throughout your body. Well, how did they do?? Hawk is so fun to watch and Jamie did her best for an area that she isn’t strong in. The judges had positive comments for the most part and raved about Hawk and thought that Jamie did a fine job keeping up with the routine. Both should definitely be safe this week.

The second couple up was Anya and Danny. Anya is a ballroom dancer and Danny’s style is contemporary. They had to perform a Jive routine choreographed by Tony Meredith. In the earlier rounds, the judges had concerns about Danny and his attitude. They thought he was cocky and were concerned about putting him through. Well, how did they do? I didn’t quite like Danny’s outfit and I didn’t like the routine. It didn’t look like Jive to me (but what do I know). The judges raved about their performance (I guess I should find out what the jive looks like). We heard Mary Murphy’s first yell of the night. For any first time viewers, Mary has a loud shrieky yell that she makes when she really likes someone and the louder the yell the better. Nigel says that they will be a couple to be reckoned with.

The third couple was Lacey and Kameron. Lacey’s style is swing, ballroom, and is also a professional krumper. Lacey is also the little sister of last year’s winner, Benji. Kameron is a contemporary/hip hop dancer. Lacey and Kameron got to work with Mia Michaels and perform a contemporary routine. Watching Mia work with them during the rehearsal is tiring. I don’t know where she gets the vision for her choreography. Lacey was concerned that she wasn’t going to do Mia’s choreography justice. How did they do? Well, I was blown away. What a beautiful routine. Mia is brilliant. The running jump Lacey did into Kameron’s arms was fantastic. They had such chemistry, which is so important in this competition. Outstanding. Best performance so far. The judges raved about their performance and felt that Lacey embodied everything that Mia wanted. Her big brother sure was proud out there in the audience. They will definitely be safe this week.

The fourth couple was Sabra and Dominic. In the earlier rounds Mia expressed that she didn’t like Dominic’s cockiness. Sabra and Dominic had to perform a Disco routine choreographed by Doriana. Sabra was working that afro. She definitely looked like they were in the Disco era. Dominic’s pants were awful, but that is what they wore back in the day. It was challenging for me to watch Dominic at times because he seemed really stiff. The judges had mixed feelings. Dan thought it was ok, Mary liked it and Nigel commented on how this was the first time Dominic danced with a partner and should be commended for his performance. They may be in danger of dancing for their lives.

The fifth couple up was Ashley and Rickey. Ashley and Rickey are both contemporary dancers. They performed an Argentine Tango choreographed by Alex De Silva. How did they do? My first comment is that Ashley sure has got some legs on her. She looks like she is a giant. This was a very sexy routine but they didn’t have the chemistry to give it the sizzle that it could have had. Ashley got stuck on some parts and it wasn’t as fluid as it could have been. Nigel thought that their height difference could have been an issue for them. Dan felt that they definitely could be in danger of dancing for their lives.

The sixth couple was Sarah and Jesus. Sarah is the only B-Girl in the competition; however she showed her versatility in the audition rounds which will help her in the long run. Jesus is a lyrical dancer. They got to work with Wade Robson, one of the best choreographers on the show. It would be so wonderful to bring his vision to life. They had to perform a pop/jazz routine that required them to get into character. Based on the practice sessions, I don’t think we really knew what the end result was going to look like. So how did they do? I LOVED IT!!!! Such a fun routine. Very creepy at times and a lot. Wade is fantastic. There were a couple times in the beginning where their timing was off, but it definitely didn’t take away from their performance. They were great! We had to rewind and watch the performance again. They are definitely safe this week.

Next up was Jessie and Pasha. Jessie is a hip hop dancer and Pasha is a trained latin dancer. They randomly chose the waltz for this week. They got to work with Tony Meredith. The waltz is so different than any of the routines we’ve seen thus far. Jessie was out of here element because the waltz is very much about form, unlike hip hop. Pasha, on the other hand, was in his element. Did they pull it off? I would say so. They did a beautiful job. The waltz is so slow and can be boring. They looked elegant. Mary Murphy loved their performance, which is a huge compliment for them. They will probably be safe for this week.

The eighth couple up was Faina and Cedric. Faina is a ballroom dancer and Cedric considers himself a hip hop/improve dancer. Nigel was originally concerned with putting him through because he wasn’t very versatile during the audition rounds and felt that he would be stealing a spot from another dancer. The rest of the judges were adamant about putting him through and were willing to take a chance on him. They all felt that he was so unique and had shown moves that they had never seen with the hip hop dancers that have come before them in the past. We’ll be watching him throughout the season to see how far get gets. So Faina and Cedric got to work with Shane Sparks on another hip hop routine. Shane was concerned during rehearsal because neither one of them were getting the routine, especial Faina. He was frustrated at times and was certain that he was not working with the next winner of the competition. So hopefully the couple days of additional practice would help them out. Did it?? Not really. As a couple they were not together at all. Faina was painful to watch. Nigel felt that she was “dancing by numbers – 1-2-3-4”. That was so true. They didn’t do Shane’s choreography any justice. I definitely found myself watching Cedric. I definitely think they will be dancing for their lives. If Cedric wasn’t with Faina he would be safe. We’ll see.

So we are almost done with the show. Up next were Lauren and Neil dancing the salsa choreographed by Alex De Silva. I personally didn’t like their routine. It looked like they were going in slow motion in between all of their tricks. It could have been better. I would expect them to be dancing for their lives. We’ll see.

Last up was Shauna and Jimmy, both contemporary dancers. They got to work with Tyce Diorio and perform a broadway number. Tyce usually wants his dancers to get in character, which Shauna and Jimmy did by becoming Dorothy and the Scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz. Their routine was really fun. The judges felt that Jimmy outperformed Shauna. You can tell that Jimmy has wonderful techniques and very graceful. I look forward to seeing him perform other styles. They should be safe for this week.

So which of the couples made it and who had to dance for their lives. The bottom three were:

Sabra and Dominic, Ashlee and Rickey, and Faina and Cedric. What do you think about that? I wasn’t surprised. I definitely knew that Faina and Cedric would be there and suspected the other two. For these three couples it will come down to how much they bring on the stage when they dance for their lives. Anyone who has ever watched the show knows that it is not always the best dancer that gets saved. The judges want to see commitment and their love for dancing in that 30 seconds. Last year a couple of the really good dancers got eliminated because they took their round for granted. The same thing happened last night for the guys. The judges felt that Dominic and Cedric put all they had into their performances, including personality. Rickey fell short and got eliminated. For the ladies, Ashlee fell short this week. The rest of the couples get to stay with their same partners.

What do you all think? Who are your favorites?

The Final Idol

First let me start with a re-enactment of Paula's night last night when Officer Johnson arrived at her door. "Yes, uh huh Ms. Abdul, so could you repeat for me again exactly how it was that you tripped over your dog Tulip and ended up with a collagen injection in your lip? What? Oh yes, sorry, you did say bruised nose, yes I've got that right here."

So, on to more important matters. What a shame for Blake to go out like this. He put up such a strong fight and gave us something new and different to look forward to each week. He could not have picked or been handed a worse repertiore. His Bon Jovi thing was fine... again, but it ended there. His Maroon 5 song sounded more like it was from Moron 5 and just left me cold. Then, the doozy of them all - that crap song from those Seattle boys really sunk him. OK, maybe I'm being harsh, but there is a direct musical rip-off from a Chris Tomlin song entitled "How Great is Our God" in that tune (check out the comparison). But for Blake - man his arrangement sucked! Jordin got the better end of that deal. The backing vocal arrangements in Blake's version were so bad, it just sunk that ship faster than it would have on it's own. That's OK, though, he's going to make millions doing his thang despite the fact that his parent's never bought him that damn drumset.

As for Jordin... OK, there is something that we need to talk about. I see then energy, the sweet and cuteness of it all, and yes she can really belt it out there for a 17 year old, but does anyone else notice that she consistently sings flat??? Maybe we didn't notice tonight because Blake does too, but I'm sorry, it's not just the stage. Melinda neeevvvvvveeeerrrrr sang flat like that - neither did Fantasia. Jordin just does not have the chops that those vocalists do, and the judges never once called it out. I would normally count on Simon to call out the truth, but I don't think he has the ear to pick out the intonation problems.

Well, they were both just fine, but that was about it. I think it would have been much more interesting if Melinda had been there. We'll see what the public thinks, but I don't think our boy Blake has a chance tomorrow.

On another note - for those of you that loved this pool, we are going to be running a pool at this same site for "So You Think You Can Dance?". The show starts this week, but the competition won't start for a few weeks until the auditions are done. If you are interested, please e-mail beth@poppool.com. Also, let us know if you are interested in On The Lot and if there is enough interest, maybe we'll run something for that too! ...despite the fact that they rejected my entry. :(

Thanks again to you all for the biggest and best AI pool yet!!!

Brad

A tough choice

Well, it's a tough choice tonight for sure. Three different directions to go. Jordin has risen to be a popular favorite, and though she is an incredible vocalist, she doesn't quite have the prowess that Melinda does. But does Melinda have the style and edge that is so often important in a pop-star contest such as this? Blake seems to be the outside shot, but maybe he is unique enough to pull something off here. I also suspect that he is a popular favorite among the young female population which I suspect is the largest demographic of the voting populus.

A bit of a changeup in tonights results

Yes, a bit of a curve ball in tonight's results. As we don't know how the results will be unveiled next week, we will wait to see if they give and indication as to which order the bottom two were eliminated. So, depending on how the results are unveiled next week, one of two things will likely happen with the scoring for PopPool.

1. We are told which order the bottom two are eliminated
In this case, Game 1 results will be unaffected and the contestants will be listed in the correct order of elimination. For Game 2, the contestant with the least votes will be treated as being eliminated this week and the contestant with the second to least votes will be treated as next week's elimination. This obviously creates a slight complication for Game 2 for if you incorrectly guessed for this week, you won't know if you can try again to guess that person next week. In order to ensure that scoring is fair in both cases, we will require that all players submit a different name for the Game 2 elimination than they did this week.

2. There is no indication of which order the bottom two were eliminated
In the second case, Game 1 scoring will be modified to treat the week 7 and week 8 eliminations equally as though both contestants were actually eliminated in week 8. For Game 2, a correct choice in either week 7 or week 8 will count regardless of the order. So, if you chose both of the contestants that are eliminated, you will get 2 points regardless of the order. If you guess only one of the two eliminations, you will get one point regardless of whether your choice is in the week 7 or week 8 position. Obviously, if you don't guess either one correctly, you will not get any points.

If there are any other modifications or complications, we will be sure to let you know. As a reminder, you are required to submit a different name for Game 2 next week than you did for this week. Good luck - it will be an interesting week next week!


Beth & Brad

Uh, did anyone else notice that there was a soft focus filter on Celine Dion during her performance? I wonder if that was in her contract. She was the only one. Funny... and weird.

Songs That Inspire

Ryan opens with: This. Is Idol. Gives. Back.

Tonight, the kids will take the stage to sing what are being referred to as "life anthems", songs of "compassion and hope". And, every vote will be matched and/or supplemented by major corporations in America for a very good cause: to help fight poverty/disease/hunger in Africa and America. What's not to like about tonight? Good stuff all around.

(I WAS wondering, however, that whenever Ryan introduces footage of Simon and himself touring Africa, he never specifies which country they're actually in — as if the entire continent were all just one big border-free entity. In America, they actually mentioned the states they were in, I believe. Can we at least get a little education about Africa, too? I guess not.)

First up was Chris, who chose to sing Eric Clapton’s Change The World. His performance tonight was pretty good. Could it be that I just like Eric Clapton? Could it be that Chris's symmetrical looks are so just so pleasing to the eye? I actually really liked it. It was also my middle daughter's favorite performance, who was forced to stay up and watch it with me because our DVR is broken. (Feel my pain, please.) While sitting on the stool, his voice was less nasaly than I’ve heard it, and he was smiling and just cute, as usual. And I loved the red glow of the spotlights on his shaved Justin Timberlake head.
Randy said, "Tonight, dawg, dude, you in it to win it." (nice shirt, Randy); Paula said it was "fantastic", "well done", and that watching his journey has been "real exciting." Simon said "the competition starts properly tonight" and said of Chris, "this reminded me of the first time we saw you", "good vocal", "more soul" and "you did really well".
And.....How random. Ivanka Trump is in the audience.

Up next to sing – Melinda, who chose There Will Come A Day, by Faith Hill.
Her hair was longer and is working to create a neck. And, her singing: she is amazing.
I really liked her song. How could you not? My oldest daughter said at the end of the show that this was her favorite song.

Randy said she is "so dope", she has "got it all together", and that she has "arrived". I think she had already arrived when she had all those professional singing jobs before American Idol. Most of us have not even started the trip, yet. Paula said "there is no one like" Melinda, and called her "magical"; and Simon said it was "incredible", "a vocal master class."

Next - Blake!
He chose to sing John Lennon’s classic, Imagine. Okay. I got a little worried. That song is so classic, and loved for the artist himself. So.... I was hoping for the best, as I really like Blake. (
We're pals.) But......It was a little boring and lacked passion. Blake - come on. We want to have the emotion!

Randy called it a "great choice of song" but that "it was just aiight, just OK"; Paula said it was "a real sensitive, emotional performance"; Simon felt it was "sincere" but that "it didn’t go anywhere".

Coming back from another break, we found Ryan in Africa visiting a feeding center which provides meals to 150 orphans every day. And, Ryan said that they all waited until everyone had their food before they took a bite. Wow. Big Sigh.

I forgot to mention that my middle daughter was still talking about the kids who were sad because their mom and dad died. (In Africa.) Hmmmm...... The darn DVR broken issue. She's already afraid of Leprechauns because of the green water in the toilet on March 17th. This one is probably worse. And, it's actually REAL. Well, we can turn it into a discussion of being thankful and how we can give and help others.

Lakisha was next to sing. She chose Fantasia’s I Believe. Fatasia was in my pre-idol days, so I have nothing to compare it to. I thought that in comparison to the last few weeks, it was pretty good. But, I did cringe when she said she was doing a Fantasia song. Why does she want to do songs that other previous idols have done? It seems like a bad decision.

Randy cited "a couple pitch problems" but said that he did "like it"; Paula was talking and talking and talking, as she attempted to explain that Fantasia is "undeniably and wonderfully and magnificently unique" Simon tried to explain and said, "You are not Fantasia" but called it "very emotional". He attempted to add a few things but the audience wouldn’t let it happen, resulting in another "Will you SHUT UP?" out of Simon. My kids luckily weren't listening at this point, or they would have said, "Oooo. He said something bad." I love that they are still little.

Next up was Phil who chose Garth Brooks’ The Change. My middle daughter said, "Oh, it's a boy with no hair!" I thought he was okay, but wished he would sound a little more "country" like last week. But, maybe people liked him. He's a family guy, likes country music, and loves his country. Vote, middle America, vote! (He might also be a vampire.)

Randy called it a "very nice vocal"; Paula said it was "fantastic" and that this was Phil’s "best"; Simon started with "I really like you", complimented him on a "good choice of song", warned him to "keep the country tone from last week", and finished up with "people like you."
We just aren't sure about your Heed, your hats, your eyebrows, or your non-country music self. And, are you a vampire?

Next, they went to a food bank that was 20 minutes away from Simon's house. Simon called it "the most extraordinary place I’ve ever been." What??? Simon. Did you not know about places like this? In Santa Barbara, there is a wonderful place, the Unity Shoppe. It's a great place to donate time and food and clothes, and gives dignity to the people who go there. Check it out: http://www.unityshoppe.org/. I'm sure there are lots of other places and if you want to, please post your favorites here on this blog! Our family also likes: The Heifer Project, on a global scale. http://www.heifer.org/. Also, one that is impressive that our friends give to is: http://www.bridges-of-hope.org, (in Africa.)

Finally, Jordin was up to sing You’ll Never Walk Alone from Carousel.
She looked gorgeous in her brown dress. THIS GIRL IS AMAZING. Really.

Randy called it "one of the best vocals of any contestant, on any show, in any season" and then, of course, he added "17 years old"; Paula called her "glorious" and said she did a "lovely job"; Simon stated, "You were fantastic" and that she "could have a hit record with that."
I thought it was touching that she was crying at the end of the song and seemed sincerely moved by the praise.

So....... who is going home? Are they going to "surprise" us by having no one go home tomorrow? Because, wouldn't that put a downer on the celebration tomorrow night with, drumroll......... Bono? But, send in your votes anyway. And, don't forget to pick your overall winner!

Bye Bye Sanjaya

Wednesday's elimination show started with Ryan stating, "Last night we went country and the country came back with the response. Is YOUR favorite safe?"

Then, the Fox producers had to do some clean-up from Tuesday night. Simon explained exactly what went down, that he did NOT roll his eyes at the comment, but was still discussing the whole nasal congestion problem with Paula. And then, he actually choked up when he told America, "I may not be the nicest person in the world, but I would never, ever disrespect the families or the victims and I felt it was important to set the record straight."

Okay, so Simon might not be the kindest, gentlest person in the world, but he is not most evil person either. And that is exactly what you would have to be to not be touched by the events of the past week in Virginia.

As further proof, they then ran the entire playback of Simon and Paula while doing a small picture in picture of the simultaneous Ryan and Chris exchange. It is very apparent that Simon’s only reaction was to the whole singing debate.

Next came THE. GROUP. SONG. I was watching with my Darling Husband, and was thinking to myself that I really liked the song. He spoke up and said, "This song is really bad." What????? I was totally enjoying it, and really liking it. The kids were actually enjoyable this evening singing I’m All Right.

Ryan finally, 30 minutes later, got to the elimination. The three contestants getting the lowest amount of votes were finally singled out: Blake, Lakisha, and Sanjaya! Blake, however, was deemed SAFE and returned to the safety of the cushions to think about why he wore an argyle vest on country night and to make a mental note to himself: Incorporate lots of beatboxing next week.

Ryan quickly recapped Kiki and Sanjaya, and after the biggest top 7 vote in Idol history – over 38 million phoned in – he spoke the words we have all longed to hear: "Sanjaya, you are going home tonight."

I personally was so relieved because I changed my vote to "Sanjaya going home" at 4:57pm. It's all about me and my vote, sorry Sanjaya. He was emotional and Lakisha played mom and held him tightly as they began rolling his Idol journey video. He must have been crying. As he began watching it, he really did cry, which reminded me that he is just 17!!! I don’t want to see a Sanjaya CD anytime soon, but I am waiting for his next show-biz move. He is a household name now! As Ryan so perfectly put it, Sanjaya "We won’t soon forget you."
Sanjaya took the mike one last time and reprised Let’s Give Them Something To Talk About, and good for him, he changed the last line to "Other than hair, hair, hair?"

Hmmm.... so I'm wondering who the VFTW people will adopt next?

Maybe we can just concentrate on the GOOD SINGING now.

Country definitely isn't everyone's forte!

Theme: Country
Celebrity Guest: Martina McBride

"Country music is about story telling" says Martina McBride.

Well, let's tell the story of what occurred last night.

So Phil Stacey started us off tonight doing his rendition of Keith Urban's "Where the Black Top Ends". I was worried when Phil walked out without a hat, but he actually didn't look that bad. I often hear comments about him looking sickly or like an alien. Since this competition has seemed to move away from focusing on singing, we have to comment on the looks as Paula does. I had a strong feeling that Phil was going to do alright tonight and I think I was right. We may have found Phil's genre. He had good energy and looked like he enjoyed being up there. Now, he's been in the bottom three or the past few weeks, so will this be enough to keep him safe.
Judges comments:
Randy, "You could have a career in country music. That was really good."
Paula, "You sounded good from the beginning to the end."
Simon "Well, it has only taken 10 weeks. This is the only time I've thought you've chosen a good song and the style of music suited you and we saw some personality."


Next up was Jordin Sparks singing "Broken Wing" by Martina McBride. Martina loved Jordin during practice, but will she pull it off on the big stage? Each week the judges, especially Randy, comment on Jordin's age. Tonight her style made her look older and I'm really not sure about what she was wearing. Her voice sounded a little shaky at times. In my opinion, this isn't the best we've heard from he, but it was definitely enough to keep her around for another week.
Judges comments:
Randy, "One of the most difficult songs to sing. Dude that was the bomb, another great performance.
Paula, "You look gorgeous (blah, blah blah). Great job."
Simon, "This is the first time since we've met where I've actually believed based on that performance that you could win American Idol."
Well, I obviously didn't see eye to eye with the judges. J


Sanjaya, Sanjaya, Sanjaya. When will he go home? He came out tonight singing "Something to Talk About" by Bonnie Rait. He definitely gives us something to talk about each week. This week, however, he is back to the early days of being dreadfully bad. He’s gotten by these past several weeks by with his gimics. This week we only saw the earrings and the curly hair pulled back in the bandana. I definitely expected him to come out in a cowboy had a chaps. I watched and wondered why in the world is he still here. I’d rather see Chicken Little or Bucky “Sweet Tea” Covington. This is supposed to be a singing competition. He has to go people!! When will America get it right? Maybe tonight’s the night.
Judges Comments:
Randy, "Keeping it real, that was karaoke. Vocally it wasn't very good at all."
Paula, "We are watching someone that loves adversity. You're a loveable guy."
Simon, "Utterly horrendous. As bad as anything we'd see at the beginning of American Idol."


Next up was Lakisha Jones singing "Jesus Take the Wheel" by Carrie Underwood. I was worried for Lakisha. Do you think it was smart to sing a song by a previous winner, especially someone as popular as Carrie Underwood who just took home several CMA awards? She's had big shoes to fill. Lakisha may be on her way out. This week definitely wasn't the best one for her. A little pitchy at times. She wasn't able to show her "big ole voice." It wasn't exciting at all and I think she is losing her "wow" factor. She needs to step it up big time or she will be gone very soon.
Judges Comments:
Randy, "For me, this had some pitch problems. Not my favorite vocals of yours. Could have done more with it."
Paula, "Coming from where we are sitting, I'm going to have to agree with Randy."
Simon, "It's like eating a hamburger for breakfast, it doesn't go together. It didn't feel like it had a natural soul to it. You were the one to beat and you have not got to choose the right songs."


Can Chris pull off country? Well he came out singing "Mayburry" by Rascal Flats. He had some of the band next to home on stage, but was it enough. Martina seemed to think he’d be able to pull it off. The interesting part of Chris' performance for me is that his voice has a little twang to it that didn't sound that bad with country music. It wasn't his best performance and he may find himself in the bottom three again. Nothing memorable about it.
Judges Comments:
Randy, "You sang it ok, but I didn't feel any connection with you. I felt lost during the song."
Paula, "The joy and the love you have on stage didn't come through."
Simon, "Heard a very nondescript, nasally, tinny vocal that had no impact on me at all. Completely and utterly insignificant."


Well, let's see if Melinda Dolittle can pull it off once again. So far last night was well below par. At this stage in the competition we should be seeing top notch performances. Some might say that it isn't fair because country may not be their genre. Well, they all knew that country was coming when they signed up to be here. They should have started working towards this night from the start. Melinda played a risky, but smart move by singing a song that many people aren't familiar with. She sang "Trouble is a Woman" by Julie Reeves. And once again she knocked it out the park. She showed us a little sassiness and commanded the stage. If she isn't our American Idol, I don't know who is (yes, I am showing a little bias here, but I'm sure most of us are thinking the same thing).
Judges Comments:
Randy, "All I can say, its another solid performance from our resident pro."
Paula, "A girl that knows how to pick the right song and sing her heart out."
Simon, "It was fantastic. It was a great choice of song. Saw a little bit of Tina Turner."


Last up was Blake singing Tim McGraw's "When the Stars go Blue". Blake sang it straight tonight with not a lot of extras. It wasn't exciting or special, which is what I look forward to with Blake. When I think of the best moments from last night, I won't think of his performance. It was probably enough to keep him around for another week, but you can't be sure.
Judges Comments:
Randy, "Love your sense of style. Picked the right song and the arrangement suited you. Love that you know who you are."
Paula, "You kind of have the whole package."
Simon, "It wasn’t' a jumping out of my chair performance, thought it was ok."

Jenny... bésame. Bésame mucho!

Nice job Jennifer. A smart and beautiful presentation. You sold me. Still not sure if I'm ready to buy a record, but you earned some respect with tonight's appearance. I can't say that for everyone, Diana. So, my quick highlights for tonight.

Melinda - Yeah, I'd kinda have to agree with Simon - nothing memorable about this performance tonight. Nothing really bad, but nothing to sell me.

Lakisha - Yo Baby! Way to bust out!! OK, enough about your outfit.

Carlos Richardson - 'Nuff said.

Haley - Oh sweetheart. My sweet Haley. You continue to look good, but I'm afraid Simon hit it right on the head once again. You remain in the race for your looks. I'm actually quite surprised that there are as many heterosexual male voters for this show as her presence implies. Who would have thought? Maybe she'll get a gig on The Bachelorette after this show.

Phil - Nice lid bro - keep it… but I kinda kept wanting to straighten it out for him.

Jordin - I thought from her rehearsal footage that this might be her night, but the nerves seemed to be catching up with her a bit and the performance just seemed to lack a little steam as a result. I think Simon, agaaaiiinnn, is the only one who called it.

Blake - Yeah, he rocked it. Very simply, he just had style.

Sanjaya - Ha ha ha!! Who let Sanjaya have the brown crayons?...now he's done gone and drawn himself in a moustache and beard. I'm really confused by the curly bob cut though. It's like he's half man, half poodle. But, you know… someone can probably sell that.

Oh Tony, get the hair out of your ears

Blake - I think Blake was a tad nervous tonight and his lack of confidence showed in his performance. I also think he was scared to disrespect Tony Bennett (my great uncle) and go against his recommendation to not beat box. That song was beggin' for a little refresher. Old Tony seems to be stuck in his time warp and just doesn't understand what these young ruffians are doing to the music these days.

Phil - Oh hey, for a minute there during his interview I thought he must have found his hair tonic 'cause we see a few sprouts coming in! But alas, he got a fresh wax just before the show. I think Phil must be Tony's secret grandson - stuck in the same time warp. Does that make him my cousin??? Wait... Rob Reynolds, you and Phil have the same barber! Or are you related? Hold it right there.. are we related???

Chris R - I think Chris upstaged Blake tonight.

Jordin - It was just aight for me. I can't figure out why Randy and Paula were so in love with her. I'm with Simon on this one.

Gina - A softer sweeter side of Gina. I thought it was a refreshing change and not too bad.

Sanjaya - Wait a minute. What did he just say? Did I just hear Tony Bennett say to Sanjaya "I'm a big fan of yours"??? Unc!!! What the F#&%!!!! Umm, maybe we are all wrong and Uncle Bennett is right. I give up. Sanjaya for President! Did you see the sign that said "Sanjaya is my Papaya". Isn't a papaya a fruit?

Haley - Way to bring the girls out again babe. Go with what's workin. It almost made me forget that missed high note. I actually didn't think it was too bad (other than the bad high note), but the judges did not do her any favors tonight.

Lakisha - I think this may not be a popular opinion, but is anyone else getting bored with Lakisha? I mean she sings great, but if I am to compare her to Melinda, Lakisha's performances just don't excite me as much as hers. Just fine for me.

Well, I'm sure you all have something to say, so don't be shy this week.

Little Tony

See ya Curly!

Well, it seems that the bottom two were pretty clear going into tonight. I unfortunately went with the outside bet on Haley and got stung. Congrats to the mass majority of you that got it right with Chris Sligh. It also appears that the dust is settling again on Phil and his number may be up in the coming weeks - but not SANJAYA, noooooo! Speaking of Sanjaya, you had to love Ryan's hair extensions. Well, that's all for tonight, just the facts. It's time for bed, and so I'll leave us all with this image of Gwen saying "Goodnight Bradley". "Goodnight Gwen. Say goodnight Gwen... Gwen, say goodnight! It's me... Brad... you know. Don't pretend like you don't remember. Gwen!!!" Oh whatever.

"Faux-hawk" or "Moe-hawk"?

Good evening PopPoolers. As Beth is out of the country and not able to watch tonight's broadcast, I am going to try to do her a solid by giving her my assessment of the show. As such, this will become my post for tonight, so I apologize in advance for the length, but for those of you that have the time to read it, now you can get a view into my warped interpretation of the performances and what influences my decision making. The key problem (or benefit depending on how you look at it) is that I am two large glasses of wine deep so far. I am just getting home now and begining to watch so you are going to get the live play by play.

Wholly mother of Jesus - it's Gwen Stefani! Finally an artist that doesn't have one leg in the grave. And we get to see her without all that makeup and lights and stuff. She actually looks really good. I mean she always looks great, but this is refreshingly good.

OK, so Lakisha starts it out with "Let's Dance". Of course she is Lakisha, so don't need to say much here. Nothing blew me away, but she is good as always. Gwen was speechless after hearing her because as she says "she is a better singer than I am". Randy - "you are a fly Diva", Paula - "you did Donna Summer proud." Simon - "love the up tempo beat, great vocal".

Chris Sligh - "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic" (by the way, one of my favorite songs ever). Nothing unique about the performance in my opinion. Not bad. I don't expect the judges to LOVE it, but they will like it. Randy - agreed with Gwen that it was a good song for him, but his tempo was off with the band. Paula agrees with Randy - surprise, surprise. Simon - thought it was a mess.

Gina - "I'll stand by you"? Don't know the song but am guessing the title from the lyrics. It was fine. I think she is safe tonight. Gwen liked her. Randy thought it was her "best ever". Paula - blah blah blah. Simon, "It was your best performance ever - your transformation is like "chalk and cheese". What the F$%# does that mean?

Sanjaya - What the S#!& did you do to your hair!!!???? Oh my Hawaiian-Indian spiced crackers! This has to be the picture for the website tonight. He has his hair up in a faux mohawk… would that be a faux-hawk?, singing "Bathwater" by No Doubt. Funny thing is… I bet he is still safe tonight. Randy and Paula basically said as much. Simon said "I don't think there was a mirror in your dressing room", and "I don't think it matters what we say any more because people obviously love you no matter what you do". Ryan called it a "pony-hawk" which is probably a better description.

Haley Scarnato - "True Colors" Gwen is cool because she is not giving platitudes to people. I think I love her. She said that Haley started out good, but then started doing this "other kind of melody which is totally unnecessary for the song", and "she should just tone it down," and "people would really like to hear her sing that song". It appears that she has toned it down a touch. Nothing great, but not bad enough to be booted - also she is wearing a slinky little black thing that will probably keep her in the hunt (OK Sanjaya lovers - bring on the hate comments and bash my testosterone influenced tolerance for Haley). Ooooh, her last little ending note - a wee bit out of tune. Hmmph. Randy - "started a little rough, got better towards the end, I wasn't jumping up and down - it was just aaaiiight". Paula - something about beautiful song, vulnerable - blah blah blah - pretty girl - blah blah blah. Simon - "sweet but forgettable. Too safe."

Phil Stacey - Ok, first the good news - he has a cap on tonight. The bad news - it's a girl's knit cap!! (I think crochet is the proper term). Singing "Every breath you take". Gwen actually liked his rehearsal - (he must not have had that same cap on). Randy - "I actually kind of liked it Dog". Paula - something about personality, color, magic, "blah blah blah". Simon - "very good. Great choice of song - first time I thought you were taking this competition seriously."

Melissa Doolittle - "Heaven Knows" Donna Summer. Gwen "she blew me away - mind blowing". I'm not sure about this outfit tonight, but another great vocal. She has such great control and emphasis behind her lyrics. Randy agrees with me - he says "Melinda, you know what's so dope man? (what if she actually is a man?)... you are like a pro. You come out here each week and interpret the lyrics and sing with feeling and live the words" … or something like that. Paula - "you have charisma from the word go. You…" something about spades, "blah blah blah." Simon - "Not the performance that we will remember as your best, but your vocals were outstanding as usual… hate the outfit". Simon and I are like 'this' man!

Blake Lewis - "Love Song" by The Cure. Gwen, "the melody in this song is strong and he needs to be careful about when he chooses to beat-box or else he will distract from the melody which is so simple". Not a great vocal per-se tonight. I think Blake is typically safe, but this was a tough night - bad song choice? No beat boxing tonight at all. Randy - "not my perfect song choice, but guess what, you made the most of it. You had that tender spot." Paula "Blake, I LOVED what you did with the song. You're taking risks, making it your own, I'd love to see you in the finale"(and in my dressing room after the show). Simon "You are the best guy in this competition for sure. You have to be careful because you are in this Chris Daughtry zone where you are doing your own thing. Don't be too indulgent and boring - it's a matter of taste. However, for sure you are the front running guy."

Jordin Sparks "Hey baby." Gwen, "I was surprised when I heard she was going to sing this song, but she made it sound much more musical than I thought it was. She's cute and refreshing and I'm excited for her." OK, but what the hell is this outfit? It's like a bad accident between a picnic table and Soviet school girl uniform. To me, the vocals are coming across like a bit of a karaoke performance. Randy "Risky thing to do - you could do anything and that was brilliant. Paula "you're adorable, and hip and young, blah blah blah, blah blah blah... blah blah." Simon, "probably the most improved contestant in the last few weeks. Younger more confident, but a bit copy-catish". Hmmm, well it didn't do much for me. You know... I think I could probably fit my entire arm through those hoops in her ears.

Chris Richardson - "Don't speak" Gwen, "I've seen him before and I know he likes to do these vocal Olympics kinds of things, but I don't think he really needs it Just focus on the song and emotion." In my assessment, he is doing it well. He has a good contemporary feel and it works for me. A few rough spots intonation-wise. Ended with a strong bit. Randy, "Yo Chris, so check it out man. Liked the R&B flavor. It was good". Paula "you're good, you're good. Hey, can someone get me another drink over here!!!??? And for goodness sake, which one of these boys am I going to manipulate in my room later tonight??!!!! Yeah, Chris, you're good." Simon, "song choice got you in trouble tonight last week but this was a much better choice of song. Still wasn't crazy about it. Struggled in the middle." Yeah, I agree.

Well, that's the end of my wine soaked recap of tonight's Idol. Quite frankly, I'm not sure what to make of it all. We've weeded out some of the obvious riffraff other than Sanjaya, and he is staying in because of some combination of the following - spite, the entire US population of junior high school girls and curious boys, and Howard Stern. So, as far as I'm concerned it's anyone's to lose tonight other than Melinda, Lakisha, Blake, and I can't believe I am about to say this, Sanjaya. PopPoolers - give me your thoughts.

BB