Say a Sweet "So long" to Stephanie

Well, goodbye Stephanie. If I could have it my way, you would have hung in there for a couple more weeks. You seem to have a good deal of talent, but the singing out of tune was what got you in the end. Yes, I know, it's not fair that Sanjaya is still in there and you had to leave, but that's just the way the Idol cookie crumbles. Oh, why did I pick you to go out this week? Sorry, don't take it personally, it's not how I feel, but how I feel everyone else feels. You know.

So, to the rest of us, the heat is on. Sanjaya, Phil, Haley, Gina? Who will be next. It was interesting that Chris Richardson was bottom two last night, but if history is any lesson it was probably only temporary... at least I hope.

Don't cry for Sanjaya

It was a good night for most of the performers tonight - they must have gotten good solid advice from the guest hosts who apparently were not drunk. Even little Sanjaya pulled something out of his hat, showed a little manliness, and covered up his lack of vocal prowess with his strutting around the stage. When I first saw the cutaway to the young crying girl Ashley during Sanjaya's performance, I thought we had been given the proof as to why he is still in the competition. I thought to myself, ah ha! There are millions of these young girls crying themselves to sleep each night because they can't be with little Sanjaya. It was insane - just like the Beatles 50 years ago - and what an appropriate night for it to happen. But then as the show progressed it became clear that this little girl was just peeing in her knickers at the sight of any American Idol within 50 feet and probably would have acted the same if Simon Cowell had sung "I'm Henry the 8th I am" (how is that anyway?). I think she was probably crying from the moment she entered the theater and no doubt left a giant puddle on the floor of the stage after being hugged by all of the Idols at the end of the show.

So who's on their way out? Sanjaya is certainly at risk because most of the population over 20 that doesn't vote 18 times a night for one person still wants him out. Stephanie continues to teeter on the brink of the bottom three and likely may find herself among the bottom dwellers for lack of any other obvious targets. Haley? I don't think so if the straight male population will have anything to say about it. I think it was that little shimmy she did at the end that may have kept her in the race for at least one more week. Gina? Maybe. Phil, great performance, but for goodness sake, don't get too close to the camera or you will scare all of the young teenage girls into voting one more time for Sanjaya just to make sure that they don't have too look at the whites of your eyes one more week. Chris, Chris, Blake, Lakisha and Jordin - all safe performances. Melinda, take it home baby.

Diana - drunk or clumsy?

There was much commentary after Diana Ross's appearance on American Idol last week with regards to her condition - was she drunk, or just plain clumsy? I personally didn't think too much about it at the time, but was suprprised at the deterioration of her performance abilities. I am surprised that she is releasing a new album and willing to perform on stage these days. Does she not watch herself on tape? Interesting choice Idol.

Brandon Rogers is out

Say goodbye to Brandon Rogers. He may not have been my first choice to go this week on American Idol, but but darn close to it. Personally I am in the Sanjaya must go camp, but Brandon's days were definitely numbered. Is it Sanjaya's week this week, or does he have the teen girl vote so locked up that he is safe for a few weeks? His presence in the bottom 2 last week suggests that his ticket may be up. Thoughts?