WOW!!!! What a great start to AI’s TOP 13 last night! Some incredible and signature performances!!! This is one VERY talented group this year, maybe the strongest from Top to Bottom that I can remember! But….some of the songs chosen by contestants from Michael Jackson’s BIG collection of hits/tunes were quite obscure to say the least, half of them I’d never heard before!? Guess that proves that I’ve never been a fan of the freaky so called ‘King of Pop’! OK…..here’s my thoughts from last nights TOP 13 with the infamous ‘BOTTOM 3’ predicted for tonight as well as who should be going home….

NOTE: I’ll also keep in RED those who I originally had predicted for the TOP 12 (OK…13!) before it was announced!

Alexis Grace—She proved her worth again last night! Agreed with Kara, she was very naughty and sexy in her song, but added her infamous Memphis bluesy accent to it as well! Just hope that she doesn’t get screwed tonight by people dialing or texting the ‘13’ instead of ‘36’ and costing her votes!! Still TOP 4 for me!

Michael Sarver –-I thought his song choice (You’re Not Alone) sucked, but the judges gave him a pass! Still don’t think he’ll go too far. If he makes it a few more weeks, he’ll go on tour…..and he’ll be happy to have reached that level in the competition!

Danny Gokey --Still a Dark-Horse for TOP 4. Another OK song choice with ‘Pretty Young Thing’. Thought Paula was going to run up and jump his bones on stage! I agreed with Simon, thought his stage presence was a bit gawky!

Kris Allen – Knows the MJ songbook better than anyone on the show, and supposedly helped other contestants too. Thought the guitar gig was a bit odd, but this kid reminds me of John Mayer….so that’s a good thing! I’m staying with my Top 6 prediction.

Allison Iraheta – Rocker babe who kicked the show off with ‘Give Into Me’, another song from MJ I didn’t know! Not sure what she had ‘bleeped out’ by FOX, but don’t think it was a good thing that she said (noticed Paula motioning her to zip it??) Still a long-shot, dark-horse candidate for TOP 4….sooner or later, she’ll get exposed in a song where she can’t rock it out!

Adam Lambert -- AWESOME!!!!! His rendition of ‘Black or White’ was just freakin’ incredible!! I said it yesterday and I’ll say it again…. I think he’s extremely talented and capable of being in the Finale’ against Lil Rounds! Now….whether or not he makes it with all the negative publicity is another story, but this kid has stage presence like no one I’ve ever seen on AI!

Lil Rounds -- As I predicted, very strong start for her last night! Good song choice with ‘The Way You Make Me Feel’! Still see her in the FINALE’….and eventual AI Season 8 WINNER…..I THINK!!?? (Uh oh….is Eddie wavering already!?)

Scott McIntyre --Sticking to my guns here, he’s just not a good singer! Hid behind his piano last night and struggled doing an obscure MJ song. He’ll move on, but he’s not even in my Top 8 at this point! Bottom 3….maybe!!??

Jorge Nunez—Hey Jorge…..nice song choice in ‘Never Can say Goodbye’…..because one should NEVER say NEVER! Good-Bye….you’re in the BOTTOM 3 tonight and going back home to Puerto Rico!

Jasmine Murray---Looked great and sang ‘I’ll Be There’ quite well! I still think she’s TOP 6 or TOP 8 at best! She’s through tonight easily!

Megan Corkrey -- I said before she had no stage presence at all, and I thought she’d struggle with MJ songbook, but….I was impressed and totally disagree with some of the judges (except Kara) and I thought she did well with ‘Rockin Robin’ from The Jackson 5 Portfolio. At least she stepped away from the mic and worked the stage a bit….and she looked incredible!! :-0 If she’s in the Bottom 3…..I won’t be shocked, based on what the judges said, but she should move on!

Matt Giraud**-- As I thought, he blew away Scott MacIntyre on the piano doing ‘Human Nature’ and this kid can perform!! I think he’s capable of going up against Lil Rounds or Adam Lambert in the FINALE’! Still TOP 4!

Anoop Desai – I think he really thought he was MJ singing ‘Beat It’ and hand-slapping all the people around the stage…..PULEEEEEEZZZZ!!!!!!! Hey Anoop……go back to Chapel Hill…..and just BEAT IT!! Bottom 3 and going home tonight!

Bottom Line: As I predicted…..and confirmed happily by Simon….to keep the show’s FINALE’ during the same week as last year (May 20th) and END AI before Memorial Day Weekend, they’ll be booting two (2) of the TOP 13 contestants off tonight! Simon also said at the end of the show that a CHANGE in the "Idol" structure involving the show's judges would be revealed tonight. Ryan Seacrest said it will change "the entire theme and concept of the show.”

Hmmmm….lots of speculation here, and from what I’ve read today, the most popular theory: The bottom vote-getters must now "sing for their lives" and the show's judges will have the ability to save a contestant from being sent home. My theory….there will still be a ‘Bottom 3’ or ‘Bottom 2’ as voted on by America each week, but then the judges will simply decide who goes home and who stays, something that I’ve been saying should happen for years, as America time and time again has made very stupid choices….can anyone say Taylor Hicks here!? Either way, I’d applaud the change of the judges becoming more involved and America less involved!!

Inside the Numbers: FOX is putting Idol on at 9 tonight instead of 8PM, so set the DVR’s! Two contestants get sent home tonight….that will be Anoop and Jorge’ (As I SMILE typing that!), making the Guy vs. Girl #’s a bit closer: Guys 6…Girls 5, as the TOP 11 move on!

So what does everyone else think of last night’s show? Who do you think should be booted off tonight? And what changes do you think are in store for the show going forward? Let me know your toughts!! OK….we’ll know more come tomorrow..…until then…it’s Eddie ‘Little Simon-BEAT IT NOOP’ Idol……OUT!!


Note from Kim: I got news for you Eddie -- Cindy, Lona and myself used all our votes for "Anoop Dog Millionaire" last night (we really liked his movie) -- so we'll see ... Ouch, that Taylor Hicks comment hurt! I personally think it's funny that Fox is telling all the news media that tonight's the big AI vs. LOST in the ratings .... HaHa -- that explains why the wusses at ABC decided to show a repeat episode of my fave show tonight!! Any thoughts Ray??