OK, so we had the much anticipated 2-hour debut of IDOL’s TOP 12 last night, on the BIGGER stage, BIGGER audience, and to the music of one of rock and roll’s all time greatest bands, The Rolling Stones. Have to say it here first, I’ve never been a big Stones fan at all, but I’ll give them their due, they’ve made over 50 albums and have withstood many generations of fans with their music. So….with that said, let’s see who did well with their music and who is in the dreaded ‘Bottom 3’ tonight……dim the lights……

Mike Lynche- OK…..Big Mike is starting to get on my nerves.! Sang "Miss You", and it was jut OK for me. I agree with Simon, all the moving around and gyrations on stage were just a bit too corny and a bit much for me. He’s safe tonight, but he’s gotta’ calm down a bit with all the crap he’s doing on stage and being so palsy-walsy with Ryan on the stage!

DIDI BENAMI- Let’s first say Didi looked great last night and may just be the prettiest of the gals in the competition. She sang "Play With Fire", a song most folks wouldn’t recognize as a Stones song. She sounded great and is gaining confidence each week! She’s safe….and definitely was the ‘best dressed’ of the girls last night as well.

Casey James- Chose "It’s All Over Now" and made it bluesy and jazzy, but I didn’t think he was as good as some of the judges did. I thought it was pitchy, and Casey has a problem with his lower notes. As Simon said at best, it was BORING and forgettable! Probably safe tonight, but he’s gotta’ step it up.

LACEY BROWN- Chose "Ruby Tuesday", good song choice but I thought it was pitchy and that she sounded nervous again singing it. And who dresses these people, her outfit was plain gaudy! Hate to say it, but she’s probably in trouble and in the Bottom 3 tonight.

ANDREW GARCIA- Performed the 1969 Stones song, "Gimme’ Shelter"….and it just wasn’t very good. He was better than the previous weeks, and gave it his best, but again, compared to everyone else, not good enough. As Cousin Greg said…..he’s about as far as he’s going to go. No Top 10…..no touring….in the BOTTOM 3 tonight and could be the person who gets sent home tonight.

KATIE STEVENS- Who chose her dress!? She looked like she was ready to go to Easter Sunday mass. Performed ‘Wild Horses" and when she hit the higher notes, she sounded great….when she’s not hitting the bigger notes, it’s pitchy. She’s safe tonight, but needs some fashion advice for future shows! UGH!

Tim Urban- Sang "Under My Thumb" and put a reggae theme to it, which sure was gutsy and very unique, but the judges ripped him big time. It grew on me as he sang it, but as Simon said, people listening probably hated it more than liked it and turned off their TV sets! He’s in trouble and most likely will be in the Bottom 3 tonight….this could be the end of the road for him!

SIOHBHAN MAGNUS- BEST OF THE NIGHT! Sang a dark and incredible version of "Paint It Black"…..WOW!! My son Jonathan would have loved the outfit she wore, esp. the shoes, and the song. And before any of the judges opened their mouth, I wrote down ‘This Year’s Adam Lambert…….but she’s a girl!’ Looks like brother Ron picked a winner…..it’s his fav girl to get to the finals! She just may be on her way there!

LEE DEWYZE- Chose "Beast Of Burden" and I’m on board with Randy Jackson, this kid sounds a lot like Dave Matthews! He wasn’t technically great last night, but certainly good enough to be safe this week and move on.

Paige Miles- Sang one of my fav Stones songs with "Honky Tonk Woman" and for me, it was probably her best performance to date, even though she had a bout with laryngitis all week leading up to the show. She’s obviously got some additional physical issues with the voice, because she always sounds nasally and congested, but she’s safe tonight.

AARON KELLY- Just love this kid’s story and the little one stoplight town he’s from in PA, and I want so bad for him to do well. Aaron chose "Angie", but I don’t think it was one of his better performances, and not as good as the judges thought he performed it. I agree with Simon, it was a great song choice and he didn’t try to over-sing it, so he’s probably safe for tonight.

CRYSTAL BOWERSOX- Chose "You Can’t Always Get What You Want" and once again gave a memorable performance! She’s the only real legitimate superstar in the field, and I agree with Simon, it’s her competition to lose, but she absolutely was out-performed by Siobhan on this first night on the big stage!

Eddie Note: Contestants in CAPS and RED were my favs that I picked in the early auditions for the TOP 24 and TOP 12 potential…..8 of 12 not too shabby!

So….who do you think goes home tonight? Who was your favorite last night? Who are your Top guy and gal in the TOP 12? Who do you think gets to the TOP 10 and perform on the Idol Summer Tour? How about your TOP 2 picks for the FINALS?
Let’s hear what you think, now’s the time to speak up and be heard!

More from Eddie Idol after one contestant is sent packing tonight. As always, stay tuned for more ‘Eddie Idol’ chatter…….after the break!

Once again......America SCREWS UP BIG TIME!!
Just who is voting and what were they thinking last night in sending home one of the BEST and most original contestants in Lilly Scott????? I agree with her, just what type of talent and music do they want to hear???

All these young punk kids and their cell phones texting and calling in votes - just where are their parents at after this show is over? Take the damn phones away and hide them from these kids who don't know good talent and music when they hear it!
What a freakin' joke!!
So now into the TOP 12 we get to see Paige "Yes, I'm always Congested and Sound Like Crap" Miles and Katie "I'm More Shocked Than You That I'm Still Here" Stevens.........absolutely incredible!!!!
America......... you SUCK!!

A Very 'Ticked Off' Eddie Idol

PS---Good thing WVU pulled off the last second win in the Big East Tournament after IDOL, or I'd really be upset, at least that salvaged the evening on TV for me! BEAT THE HATED IRISH TONIGHT AT THE GARDEN!

Because Eddie Idol’s a bit under the weather this week, I’ll keep my usually lengthy recap of the last two nights SWEET 16 performances on Idol short and ‘sweet’ here, as we count down the hours until the TOP 12 is officially released!

My TOP 4 favs from this week’s performances for the Gals was: Crystal Bowersox (THE BEST BY FAR!), Siobhan Magnus, Lilly Scott, and………..Lacey Brown is finally BACK! J Thrown in my new Dark Horse in Didi Benami after she nailed the Stevie Nicks song this week! Bottom 3 gals for me tonight are Katie Stevens, Paige Miles, and probably Katelyn Epperly…..I think 2 of these 3 are most likely going home tonight.

TOP 4 guys for me from Wednesday Night’s performances are: Lee Dewyze, Michael ‘Big Mike’ Lynche, Aaron Kelly and Alex Lambert, YES….I said Adam Lambert! The kid is gaining momentum each and every week, and the judges just love him! My new Dark Horse is another guy who I thought early on in Week #1 was a real loser…..Tim Urban! Andrew Garcia, as I said earlier this week, is fading really fast and I think is probably headed home tonight. Joining him in potential trouble tonight with the risk of being sent home are Todrick Hall (who really wasn’t all that bad last night) and Casey ‘Over-Rated’ James, who needs a dose of reality to set in!

So….who do you think goes home tonight? Who’s your favorite guys and gals in the TOP 12? More from Eddie Idol early next week on the TOP 12 after 4 more contestants sent packing tonight. As always, stay tuned for more ‘Eddie Idol’ chatter…….after the break!

Kim: Get Well Soon, my Dear Eddie!!

C'mon peeps, let's send some cheer to our fave Idol (Eddie)!!!!

Only surprise last week on those who were sent home was on the Girls side with Michelle Delamor, who I’m sure thought she was in no danger. But as Kara said, when the judges listened back to her performance after the show, it really was all over the place and very pitchy. I personally thought it was a poor performance, but didn’t think she’d be sent home before a few others in front of her.

The big buzz today is Simon Cowell’s appearance on the Jay Leno show last night where he endorsed Crystal Bowersox! Simon made it very clear that he’s a huge fan of Crystal. Simon said, “I tell you who I like, I like this girl Crystal," Cowell said. "When I first saw her, I described her as a busker, and I liked the way she handled that, because she admitted that's what she was. But she's got some confidence now. She was ill, she's got over that, she's got a great voice. She's different. I like her."

If everyone’s healthy this week, and there’s not another last minute schedule swap, expect the top 8 girls to perform on American Idol Season 9 tonight. With only 16 folks left, we get a measly 3 hours of Idol this week! The show falls back to one hour tonight and starts at 8 p.m. on Fox. The top 8 boys will perform tomorrow night, with elimination night falling again on Thursday night.

The gals have such awesome potential, much more so than the guys. My TOP 4 favs this week for the Gals are: Lilly Scott, Crystal Bowersox, Siobhan Magnus, and throw in Katelyn Epperly as my new ‘Dark Horse’, as she’s starting to grow on me. Bottom 2 gals for me are Lacey Brown, unless she can get her act together QUICKLY, because she does have the potential, and Paige Miles, who sounds like she’s congested all the time. Other 2 gals who really need a BIG performance are Katie Stevens and Diddi Benami, who if they don’t step up, could be in real trouble this week.

TOP 4 guys for me are: Aaron Kelly, Casey James, and Lee Dewyze, with Michael ‘Big Mike’ Lynche as my new Dark Horse after last week’s awesome performance. Andrew Garcia, originally a favorite, is fading fast and really needs to step up BIG this week! All the other guys need solid performances this week as well, or they all could be in trouble and risk being sent home.

Here’s some interesting info…..the latest Entertainment ‘betting odds’ on who will win IDOL Season 9 are as follows:

Aaron Kelly 22/1; Alex Lambert 20/1; Andrew Garcia 6/1; Casey James 11/2; Lee Dewyze 9/2; Michael Lynche 40/1; Tim Urban 70/1 ; Todrick Hall 50/1

Paige Miles 40/1; Siobhan Magnus 5/1; Lilly Scott 12/1; Crystal Bowersox 4/1; Didi Benami 20/1; Katelyn Epperly 16/1; Katie Stevens 12/1; Lacey Brown 50/1

So….who are you most wanting to see perform this week? Who’s your favorites? More from Eddie Idol on who should stay and which two gals and guys should be sent packing after they perform over the next two nights….so stay tuned!

Here’s my breakdown of last nights performances by the Top 10 girls……Eddie Note: Contestants in CAPS and RED were my favs that I picked in the early auditions for the TOP 24.

The TOP 10 GIRLS….Good, Better and BEST….and a few IN TROUBLE….

THE BEST

· CRYSTAL BOWERSOX- ’Momma Sox’, after being hospitalized earlier for her diabetes, happened to be the first up to sing, and man oh man did she really step up! Choosing Creedence Clearwater’s “As Long As I Can See the Light,” she put some good soul into it. AWESOME PERFORMANCE! Best of the night in my opinion.

· KATELYN EPPERLY- sang “A Scientist” by Coldplay and she did the first full piano performance I’ve seen this season. I thought it was a really good performance and the she looks great and has a pretty voice. This girl is growing on me, and I have to agree with Kara, who said that she loves Katelyn and that she’s “really, really good.”

· LILLY SCOTT- sang “A Change is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke and she changed it up rather nicely and put her own vibe on it. It wasn’t the best remake of it that I’ve heard, but it was solid. I have to agree with Simon though, she was NOT as good as Crystal, and not as good as she was the week before.

· Siobhan Magnus- sang “Think” by Aretha Franklin and as Simon has often said, she really is quite the ‘quirky’ gal. I love her style though, and the girl has some serious pipes! Randy said it was bold and “dope.” Kara said she doesn’t know how she really was able to hit the one BIG note, which was incredible that it came from her voice.

BETTER

· Paige Miles- Sang “Walk Away” by Kelly Clarkson which was a good choice, and she didn’t do it too sound alike, but it was still very ‘safe’. I said it before and I’ll say it again, I’m not buying into this girl just yet. And is it just me or does she sound like she’s always congested? I’m not sure she’s as talented as the judges say she is, but I’m sure she’s through for another week.

· Michelle Delamor- who just may be the prettiest and best dressed gal in the competition, sang “With Arms Wide Open” by Creed. She has a good voice, but to me it was boring because she changed it up and slowed it down way too much. Kara said it was Michelle’s best performance to date. Simon said it was 80% right and seemed to really like it…..for me it was better than last week, but I wasn’t blown away by her performance.GOOD

· KATIE STEVENS- chose to sing the one song I love to hate on IDOL, “Put Your Record On” by Corinne Bailey Rae, and it was just OK. This girl has more talent than she’s showing so far, much more….and if she makes it through tonight, she needs to step it up next week!

IN TROUBLE

· Haeley Vaughn- Sang “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus. Can I just say that it was horrible and very pitchy, and had me ‘climbing’ the walls! UGH! I’m with Simon on this one who said “it was a complete and utter mess.” ….time to go home and make some more head-bands Haeley....Bye-Bye babe!

· LACEY BROWN- chose to sing what Kara had suggested the week before; “Kiss Me” by Six Pence None the Richer. I kind of have a soft spot for this girl, and want her to do well, but she still didn’t really show off any real vocal talent, and again, she sounded nervous. I’m with Kara, who said she liked it but thinks Lacey needs to step it up. I hope she gets a chance to do that, but she may be in trouble tonight and be sent packing.

· DIDI BENAMI- sang “Lean On Me” by Bill Withers and although I love this song, I don’t think it was a good song choice for her at all and did nothing to show off her vocals. Kara straight up said that “it wasn’t good” and that Didi lacks consistency. As much as I want her to do well, she could be going home tonight.

Bottom Line…..The girls from top to bottom continue to out-perform the guys! Any one of 4 or 5 girls can win this thing. The same thing can’t be said of the guys.

Idol Thoughts… Is it really fair that the weak group of guys take half of the Top 12 "Idol" finalist spots? Based on the past few weeks’ performances, they absolutely should not. Sorry, guys…..you just don’t stack up, but the way IDOL goes on eliminating 2 gals and 2 guys each week, there will be an even split until the Top 12, 6 guys and 6 girls. After that, anyone can go!

So…..what do you think of the Top 10 Girls? Who do you think did well? Who are your favorite girls? Who do you think should stay and be sent home this week? Let’s hear what you think! More from Eddie Idol…..after tonight’s eliminations!

Here’s my breakdown of last nights performances by the Top 10 guys, as they took the stage a night earlier than planned because of Crystal Bowersox being admitted to the hospital. Hopefully she’s OK to sing tonight with the rest of the girls.


Eddie Note: Contestants in CAPS and RED were my favs that I picked in the early auditions for the TOP 24.


TOP 10 GUYS….Good, Better and BEST….and IN TROUBLE….


BEST


· Michael Lynche- got the show off to a great start, singing “This Is A Man’s World” by James Brown. All four judges praised him and, as usual, Simon said it best, “It was like from being a pussycat to a lion in one week.” He’s safe this week!

· AARON KELLY- sang a very interesting version of “My Girl” by The Temptations, put his own country twist to it and made it his own. I liked it and think he’s safe this week.

· Lee DeWyze- Last to perform for the guys and did a pretty solid rendition of Hinder’s “Lips Of An Angel”, a song no one has ever chosen to sing on Idol. This kid has sort of came out of nowhere and has proven after two weeks he deserves to be in the competition. I agree with Simon, he may be the front-runner for the guys at this point.

BETTER


· Alex Lambert- took on John Legend’s “Everybody Knows” and lost the nerves from last week. I’ll admit it, and agree with all the judges, he was way better this week and should be safe. I still think he needs a new haircut and ditch the mullet look!


· Tim Urban- I did say last week he should have gone home, but this week he was much better singing “Come On Get Higher” by Matt Nathanson. Three things will save him this week. First, votefortheworst.com has him as their chosen target. Second, Simon thought he did really well…..surprised?! Third, the cute factor that the judges talked about with the young girl demo.


· Casey James- sang Gavin Degraw’s “I Don’t Wanna Be” and didn’t do it very well at all. He struggled through the song trying to hit the low and high notes, and there was too much emphasis on playing the guitar. This isn’t ‘Guitar Hero’ Casey….but he’s probably safe for another week.


GOOD….or maybe just ‘OK’…


· John Park- Took on John Mayer’s “Gravity” and although he did much better than last week, it still may not be good enough to stay in the competition.


IN TROUBLE…..


· ANDREW GARCIA- lost the guitar and a bit of his vocal talent, taking on James Morrison’s “You Give Me Something.” The judges were rough on him and I’m starting to wonder if he’s really as good as I thought he was as well. I think he’s in trouble this week!


· TODRICK HALL- Did his best to tear apart Tina Turner with his re-configured version of “What’s Love.” Just as he did last week, he may have taken it just a bit too far again, and should be in the dreaded bottom 3 this week for the guys and may go home.


· JERMAINE SELLERS- performed “What’s Goin’ On” by Marvin Gaye, and what’s goin’ on Jermaine is you’ll be going home this week after your dull and horrendous performance of this Marvin Gaye classic. As Cousin Greg chimed in, poor Marvin was rollin’ over in his grave on this one!


Bottom Line…..Overall, even though they didn’t have as much time to prepare to take the stage, a much better night of performances by the guys….but they still do not have as much talent as the ladies have.




Idol Chatter…..Crystal Bowersox was rushed to the hospital due to complications from diabetes. "[She] is doing okay and should be fine for tomorrow," a source said. Fox wouldn't confirm specifics behind Crystal's "medical issues".

Fast Idol Facts… Last night was opening night for the LA production of “Dreamgirls” at the Ahmanson Theater with Season 7’s third runner-up Syesha Mercado playing the iconic role of Deena Jones. Good for her!



So…..what do you think of the Top 10 Guys? Who do you think did well? Who do you think should stay and be sent home this week? Who are your favorite guys? Let’s here what you think! More from Eddie Idol on the TOP 10 Girls after tonight’s performances….stay tuned!


Kimmy: Well DAYUM Eddie -- sounds like your BOYZ aren't doing so well, so far!!

What a joke last week for the two girls sent home! Once again America's 24 million votes reared their ugly heads!

No way that Jannell (my wine sales rep is gone, bummer!) and Ashley were the worst! Haeley Vaughn should have been sent packing, based totally on last Tuesday's dismal performance of a Beatles classic....along with Lacey Brown, although I do think Lacey has far more talent than she showed last week, and she should do much better tonight. For the guys, our PA boy Tyler should still be there. No way was he worse than John Park, Tim Urban or Alex Lambert, as any one of these losers should have joined Jose Munoz off the stage.

So…..here we go again…Another 5 hours of American Idol this week and hopefully the contestants have gotten over the first night jitters and are more comfortable with the stage. I am expecting much better performances this week, I mean, can they really all be as bad as last week, esp. the guys? Let’s hope not!

First up are the girls and they perform tonight from 8-10PM on FOX. These gals have some awesome potential if they can push their nervousness aside and simply choose the correct song. They all bring something different to the stage and there are some incredible voices this year on the ladies side. My TOP 4 favs are: Lilly Scott, Didi Benami, Crystal Bowersox and Siobhan Magnus, and thrown in Lacey Brown as the ‘Dark Horse’ if she can get herself composed on stage and sing the way she is capable of doing. Bottom 2 gals for me are Haeley Vaughn, who should already be at home watching on TV, and Paige Miles, as I’m just not enamored with her like the judges are at all!

The guys perform Wednesday night from 8-10PM and currently I think the TOP 4 are: Aaron Kelly, Casey James, Andrew Garcia and Lee Dewyze. I believe all of them are in no trouble of leaving any time soon. The same cannot be said for Tim ‘Can You Believe I’m Still Here’ Urban or Alex ‘Someone Please Cut My Hair’ Lambert. These guys are an absolute freakin’ train wreck, and one or both should not even be here this week. Urban got the endorsement from the ‘Vote for the Worst’ folks this past week, so if he does as horrible this week as he did last week, they will be calling in for him to win. Great….another Sanjaya! The other guy in the bottom of the pack is John Park, just abysmal last week.

So….who are you most wanting to see this week? Who’s your favorites? More from Eddie Idol on who should stay and which two gals and guys should be sent packing after they perform….so stay tuned!

Here’s my breakdown of the past two nights performances…..and to borrow a line from a Clint Eastwood film…THE GOOD, THE BAD and THE UGLY!

Eddie Note: Contestants in CAPS and RED were my favs that I picked in the early auditions for the TOP 24….and some are already in trouble…YIKES!

TOP 12 GIRLS

THE GOOD

· CRYSTAL BOWERSOX- 24 years old, Elliston, OH……’Momma Sox’ did OK with “Hand in My Pocket”, very ‘Dylan-esque’ with her guitar and harmonica, but as Simon said, it was something you can see a thousand folks doing on You Tube every day. She’s SAFE, but needs to step it up on future shows.

· KATELYN EPPERLY- 19 years old, West Des Moines, IA….performed “Oh Darlin” by the Beatles and put her own soulful spin into it. I wasn’t blown away by it, but it was pretty good. She’s safe for another week.

· Paige Miles- 24 years old, Cypress, TX….First time I’ve seen this girl perform at all. She sang “All Right Now” by Free….great song choice, I love the song, but wasn’t all that crazy about her singing it. I’m not sure she’s as talented as the judges say she is, but she’s safe.

· JANELL WHEELER- 24 years old, Orlando, FL…Sang “What About Love” from Heart….big song and a tough song choice! I think she tried to put her own country rock twist to it, and it was OK, not great….but good enough to put my Wine Sales Rep through for another week!

· LILLY SCOTT- 20 years old, Littleton, CO…. Performed “Fixin A Hole” by the Beatles….it was AWESOME! BEST OF THE NIGHT! She’s original, genuine, and believable and it comes from her heart I really like this girl! And why are we just finding out now that she sang on street corners and lived out of her car for the past year!? This makes her even more incredible!

· Michelle Delamor- 22 years old, Miami, FL…..Never seen in the early auditions and very little face time in Hollywood, so this was the first time I’d seen her perform. She tackled a tough song by Alicia Keys performing “Fallen” and did it pretty well. She’s got the whole package going on and certainly looks impressive on camera and has good stage presence. She’s safe and should do well in this competition.

· Siobhan Magnus- 19 years old, Barnstable, MA……. Sang Chris Isaac's “Wicked Game”, which is a very haunting but sexy song. She starts out a bit too low, is a bit nasally too, but she gets better as she progresses through the song. She’s unique and quirky, a very now type, but also a little bit out there. She’s safe!

· DIDI BENAMI- 23 years old, Hollywood, CA….she sang “The Way I Am” by Ingrid Michaelson, and although it wasn’t a well known song to me or one I particularly liked, she did pretty well with it. This girl is so this year’s Megan Joy it’s not even funny! She’s safe and I hope she goes deep in the competition.

THE BAD

· ASHLEY RODRIGUEZ- 22 years old, Chelsea, MA…. Performed Leona Lewis’ “Happy” and it was NOT good! No originality and it was very pitchy. I was really looking forward to her knocking my socks off, and she just plain disappointed! She may be in trouble tonight.

· KATIE STEVENS- 17 years old, Middlebury, CT….. performed ”Feeling Good,” by Michael Buble’….and it was OK, but not a good song choice for her at all, too old and it was pitchy. She has a BIG voice for a 17 year old, so I hope she makes it through tonight.

THE UGLY

· Haeley Vaughn- 16 years old, Fort Collins, CO……takes a Beatles’ song “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” and just tears it apart. I agreed with Simon, it was a complete and utter mess! You don’t take that song and try and put a country twist on it….time to go home tonight Haeley....Bye-Bye!

· LACEY BROWN- 24 years old, Amarillo, TX…..I said TOP 12 for this girl early on, and boy did she disappoint on Tuesday night! Wow….a horrendous rendition of ”Landslide,” by Fleetwood Mac. It was bad, just all over the place and very pitchy. She’s in trouble tonight and could be sent home early with Haeley.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

TOP 12 GUYS

THE GOOD

· AARON KELLY- 16 years old, Sonestown, PA….performed Rascal Flatts' "Here Comes Goodbye", and although he struggled with some high notes, and some pitchiness, he managed to pull it together. He’s safe.

· ANDREW GARCIA- 24 years old, Moreno Valley, CA….sang Fall Out Boy's "Sugar We're Going Down,", and I liked it more than the judges. I still think this kid is talented and will challenge for the Top Spot for the guys. He’s safe!

· Casey James-27 years old, Fort Worth, TX…….the kid that Kara is just GA-GA over! He’s eye candy for the chicks, but he can sing too! He performs an acoustic version of “Heaven” by Bryan Adams, and just nailed it. Great song choice and performed well on stage. Maybe the BEST OF THE NIGHT!

· Lee DeWyze- 23 years old, Mount Prospect, IL…….Raspy voiced kid with talent who performed Snow Patrol's "Chasing Cars," and although a little pitchy, I thought it was one of the better performances on a night full of mediocre and really bad ones! He’s safe, and Simon loves this kid, so that’s a good thing!

· Tyler Grady- 20 years old, Nazareth, PA…..70’s PA boy from just up the road on Rte 22 near Allentown…..does his own take on the Guess Who's "American Woman", and started off promisingly with a super bluesy intro…..but then his performance got a bit clumsy on stage. Good enough to make it through another week though, but he’ll have to get better vocally.

THE BAD

· TODRICK HALL- 24 years old, Arlington, TX…. Did his re-configured version of Kelly Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone," and may have taken it just a bit too far. It was risky and unique, and that alone will probably save him for another week, but he could also be in the dreaded bottom 3 tonight.

· Michael Lynche- 26 years old, Astoria, NY….Big Mike performs his take on Maroon 5's "This Love", and it was OK, but certainly not great. I thought it was very ‘karaoke-like’ to say the least. He’ll probably make it through another week, but I just am not that impressed.

· JERMAINE SELLERS- 26 years old, Joliet, IL…..The church singer who performs “Get Here” by Oleta Adams. It was a train wreck and just a plain bad song choice! Cousin Greg, an Eddie Idol Wanna’ Be (EIWB) said TOP 10 in the early auditions for this kid, and I like him too, but he could be in trouble tonight.

THE UGLY

· Alex Lambert-19 years old, North Richland Hills, TX….Remember when I said “I’m sorry, but I’m not a big fan at all of this kid. Don’t think he’s TOP 24 worthy. Pack a light bag Alex, you’re no Adam Lambert! “ Well….after listening to him struggle through "Wonderful World" by James Morrison, I wanted to go outside and scream! It made my sore neck and back feel worse. This kid was terrified on stage! And what’s up with the mullet haircut? Bye-Bye Adam, you need to go home….and cut the hair!

· Tim Urban- 20 years old, Duncanville, TX……last minute call up by the shows producer to replace the DQ’d Chris Golightly….what a mistake! After listening to him try and sing “Apologize” by One Republic, Simon said it best, they made the right choice the first time and he should not be on the show! And what’s with this kids ‘Brady Bunch’ hair-style? CALLING CHRIS GOLIGHTLY! CALLING CHRIS GOLIGHTLY!

· John Park- 21 years old, Evanston, IL….. chose a jazz standard, Billie Holliday's "God Bless the Child"…..and God needs to bless me for having to watch and listen to him singing it! It was awful! This kid is not Top 24 worthy…..off with his head! Time to go home Johnnie boy. Find your Shania so she can teach you to sing better!

· Joe Munoz- 20 years old, Huntington Park, CA….Once again, another horrible performance from this Julio Eglasias wanna’ be! His version of Jason Mraz's "You and I Both" was bad, and I’m sure Jason Mraz was getting drunk somewhere after having listened to this kid perform. He may get all of Mexico to vote him through another week, but this kid is not Top 24 material!

Bottom Line…..As I said last week, there are no Adam Lambert’s in this group, maybe not even a Kris Allen! And after hearing the girls and guys all sing, and Simon agrees…the girls will rule this season! They have far deeper talent, and as I’ve said before and I’ll say it again here…..this year’s Season 9 winner will be a girl!

Idol Words of Advice……For those who play an instrument and take it on stage…..play the damn thing!! Don’t just hold it and look stupid! David Cook did this the best each time he took the stage, because he took an amplifier with him on stage and played the guitar. And another two words of advice….SONG CHOICE…..it’s all about the proper song choice contestants! This was a loud and clear message to all through the first round.

Fast Idol Facts… Tonight’s show airs 8-9 PM with the first results show, when two girls –and- two guys will be eliminated. For each of the next three weeks, two guys and two girls get eliminated until IDOL reaches the TOP 12 on Thursday, March 11^th, then one contestant can be eliminated each week after that. Season 8 winner Kris Allen performs live on tonight’s show, as does last season’s TOP 10 contestant Allison Iraheta.

So…..what do you think of Idol’s Top 24 now? Who do you think did well? Who do you think should stay and be sent home? Who are your favorites after the first group of performances? Let’s here what you think!

Well, we now have our Season 9 American Idol TOP 24! And it looks like the Top 24 leaked ‘spoiler list’ that was in circulation was pretty accurate, with 23 of the 24 proving to be correct. The only change was Chris Golightly being ‘disqualified’, much like Joanna Pacetti was last year, and being replaced at the last minute by Tim Urban. More on Chris’s situation later….
Here is the breakdown of the TOP 24 for Season 9 and my thoughts: (Contestants in CAPS and RED are those I picked in the early auditions for the TOP 24, and as you can see, I did MUCH better with the girls than I did with the guys!)

Top 12 Guys

· AARON KELLY- 16 years old, Sonestown, PA….one of two 16 year olds in the TOP 24. The judges obviously agree that this kid has some serious talent! How else do you get into the TOP 24 when you forget the lyrics not once but TWICE during Hollywood Week!? I said it early on and I’ll say it here….if he can remember his lyrics, this kid’s going deep in this competition!
· Alex Lambert-19 years old, North Richland Hills, TX….I’m sorry, but I’m not a big fan at all of this kid. Don’t think he’s TOP 24 worthy. Pack a light bag Alex, you’re no Adam Lambert!
· ANDREW GARCIA- 24 years old, Moreno Valley, CA….My Danny Gokey Look-Alike (DKLA) for 2010….but unlike DK, I love this kid’s style! He’s real, he’s genuine and he has a ton of talent! If I had to pick a favorite on the guy’s side, this kid’s the one, along with Aaron Kelly.
· Casey James-27 years old, Fort Worth, TX…..He did surprise the judges (and me!) once he got to Hollywood Week, but I think he’s here more for his looks than his voice! He’s eye candy for the girls and Kara just loves this kid……but he won’t go too far in the competition. Sooner or later, the voice will outweigh the looks and he’ll be back in Texas, or signing a modeling contract with somebody.
· Tim Urban- 20 years old, Duncanville, TX……Good looking kid with an OK voice who was a last-minute replacement for Chris Golightly. Very little face time in Hollywood or the early auditions. Could he be the next Kris Allen? Doubtful…..but let’s see. I just haven’t seen enough of this kid to make a call yet.
· JERMAINE SELLERS- 26 years old, Joliet, IL…..The church singer with an awesome final performance in Hollywood doing MJ’s "Man In The Mirror", and did it very well! This kid has some serious pipes, and he’s a dark horse for the Top 10 as far as I’m concerned.
· John Park- 21 years old, Evanston, IL…..OK, so we have our ‘Asian’ influence on Idol…..but really folks, this kid has not impressed me at all…..maybe he’ll surprise me, but I seriously doubt it.
· Joe Munoz- 20 years old, Huntington Park, CA….Once again, very little face time in early auditions or during Hollywood Week, but based on his rendition of "Man in the Mirror" (how many folks sang this??? UGH!!), I’m not a fan of his.
· Lee DeWyze- 23 years old, Mount Prospect, IL…….another kid who’s new to me that didn’t get much face time. Judges put him in the TOP 24 but didn’t seem overly complimentary of him. Based on the one performance I heard, I’m not either.
· Michael Lynche- 26 years old, Astoria, NY….Big Mike makes it in, but there’s still some controversy over him and the fact that his dad told a FL paper that he made the TOP 24 before it was announced, and from what I’m reading, he may still be kicked out of the TOP 24. If he is, please don’t let crybaby Thaddeus Johnson take his spot! Even if he stays, Big Mike’s not going that far in the competition.
· TODRICK HALL- 24 years old, Arlington, TX….I liked this kid early in the auditions, wasn’t blown away by him, but I thought he had some talent. Not sure how far he’ll go, because I think Jermaine Sellers and others in the competition have considerably more talent….so we’ll see.
· Tyler Grady- 20 years old, Nazareth, PA…..Part of me wants this kid to do well because he’s from nearby Nazareth, PA, and I like the fact that he has ‘that 70’s look’ and rock-star charisma, influenced musically by Roger Daultry and Robert Plant, but he’s missing something. Think he may be just a bit too cocky and flamboyant, and that may get him in trouble, plus the fact that he looks like he’s ‘high’ all the time!

Top 12 Girls

· ASHLEY RODRIGUEZ- 22 years old, Chelsea, MA….I knew early on this girl had ‘IT’ and it would be very, very easy to proclaim her the front-runner right now….but she’ll have a fight on her hands from a talented girl’s lineup! She’s definitely TOP 10, and could win it all!
· CRYSTAL BOWERSOX- 24 years old, Elliston, OH……’Momma Sox’ as Randy called her is awesome! I could listen to this girl sing all night. She has an excellent voice, and a seemingly unflappable, folksy stage presence. She’ll go deep in the competition…..TOP 10….and on a side note to FOX’s makeup crew, someone needs to get her some Crest Whitening Strips too!
· Haeley Vaughn- 16 years old, Fort Collins, CO……I thought she had an outside shot of making the TOP 24 because she kept pushing the fact that she wanted to be the first black pop-country girl singer in America, but seriously, she’ll get eaten up in this competition! And for the judges to pick her over Angela Martin and Tori Kelly was a joke! They were far more talented than this girl is.
· KATELYN EPPERLY- 19 years old, West Des Moines, IA….I liked her early on and think she’s deserving of a Top 24 spot, but there’s something phony about her. I just don’t get the warm and fuzzies from her; she’s a little bit fake. I don’t think she’ll stack up well against a talented field of girls for Season 9.
· JANELL WHEELER- 24 years old, Orlando, FL….Liked her early on in auditions, and despite being sick in Hollywood, she battled through it all to make it into the TOP 24. She’s got a raspy voice, plays guitar, and has good stage presence. Plus, she’s a Wine Sales Rep, so I like her that much more! Dark Horse for the TOP 10!
· KATIE STEVENS- 17 years old, Middlebury, CT…..I really, really like this girl! Love her look and her family story; think she’s very genuine and super talented for 17 years old. TOP 10 for sure!
· LILLY SCOTT- 20 years old, Littleton, CO…. Her cover of "Lullaby of Birdland" was the single best performance shown in all the Idol clips. She’s super talented and does her own thing, very unique, not at all fake or trying to do more than she can. She may lack some lung power, but if she picks the right songs, she’ll go deep in this competition. I like her in the TOP 10!
· LACEY BROWN- 24 years old, Amarillo, TX…..I said TOP 12 for this girl early on. Her unique rendition of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" in her first audition and then her amazing version of "It’s a Wonderful World" stand out as some of the best I heard. She could win it all, she’s THAT GOOD!
· Michelle Delamor- 22 years old, Miami, FL…..Never seen in the early auditions and very little face time in Hollywood. She’s a mystery to me; I just don’t know anything about her to give a constructive opinion.
· Paige Miles- 24 years old, Cypress, TX….read Michelle Delamor’s….ditto for this girl!
· Siobhan Magnus- 19 years old, Barnstable, MA…….this girl came out of nowhere to surprise the judges and she really grew on me through Hollywood Week. If she can come out of her shell a bit more and push the envelope a bit, she could continue to surprise and go deep in this competition.
· DIDI BENAMI- 23 years old, Hollywood, CA….Has always been one of my favorites! Awesome final song in Hollywood singing "Angel", and dedicating it to her deceased friend who she’s using as motivation to do her best in this competition. Another super talented girl with a great personality lots of potential. She’s in my TOP 10!

And the rest of the story…..Chris Golightly said a misunderstanding over a previous recording contract led to his forced exit. His former manager informed 19 Entertainment that he was still under contract, but explained that his contract ran out a month prior to his audition for AI.
After a series of mix-ups, it was established that he was in fact free from his previous contract, but by that point Idol producers had already replaced him with Urban to fill the expected vacancy.

Who got screwed? Angela Martin for sure! She was the singer with the most at stake, and her loss was just devastating to her. This was her third try on Idol, and her personal life in recent years has been a string of troubles: Her father died, her daughter has had terrible medical problems and, last heard in the Idol news wire, her mother had gone missing! She was crying before she even reached the judges. Kara sat down with her, in her chair, to tell her ‘it was a no’, but that she was a great singer.
This girl should be in the TOP 24! And so should Tori Kelly, who was not quite as talented as a singer, but certainly is a better all around package than Haeley ‘I wanna be a black Taylor Swift’ Vaughn!

Bottom Line…..There are no Adam Lambert’s in this group, but maybe there’s a Kris Allen or two hiding in the group for the guys. But the girls will rule this season! They have far deeper talent, and as I’ve said before and I’ll say it again here…..this year’s Season 9 winner will be a girl!

Fast Idol Facts…Are you ready for 5 HOURS of Idol this coming week?
Tuesday night’s show airs 8-10 PM, with the TOP 12 Girls performing; Wednesday night’s show airs 8-10 PM with the TOP 12 Guys performing; Thursday night’s show airs 8-9 PM with the first results show, when two girls –and- two guys will be eliminated. Season 8 winner Kris Allen performs live on Thursday night’s show as well.
So…..what do you think of Idol’s Top 24? Who do you think will do well? Who are your favorite gals and guys in the competition this year? Were you surprised with any of the eliminations? Let’s here what you think before Tuesday’s show!

SPOILER ALERT!

That means -

If you don't wanna know, READ NO FURTHER!!

Here is the American Idol Season 9 Top 24 leaked spoiler list! Is this list correct? Not sure, but last year’s was almost 100% accurate. This spoiler list has been online for a couple weeks now, and starting tonight we will learn if some, YES, only ‘some’ of the names on the list are correct.

Why just some? In an Idol first, AI has revealed to the to the press that they will announce only ‘some’ of the Top 24 names tonight in a two-hour event starting at 8 pm on FOX tonight after their final Hollywood Week solo performances. Then at 9-10 pm on Wednesday night, the final names in the Top 24 list will be revealed.

Says FOX in an email to press: “On Tuesday evening, the remaining contestants will take the stage to perform their final solo number in front of Simon, Ellen, Kara and Randy in hopes of singing their way into the Top 24. Following these performances, the judges will deliberate, and for the first time in IDOL history, will announce some of the Top 24 semifinalists.”

But if you enjoy the news now, he is the rumored Top 24 for Season 9.

If you don’t want to know, turn away now. SPOILER ALERT!!!! This is your FINAL WARNING!!!

Top 12 Guys:
Aaron Kelly

Alex Lambert (That’s ALEX, not ADAM….no relation)

Andrew Garcia (Danny Gokey 2010 look-alike)

Casey James

Chris Golightly

Jermaine Sellers

John Park

Jose Munoz

Lee DeWyze

Michael Lynche

Todrick Hall

Tyler Grady

Top 12 Girls:

Ashley Rodriguez

Crystal Bowersox

Haeley Vaughn

Janell Wheeler

Katelyn Epperly

Katie Stevens

Lilly Scott

Lacey Brown

Michelle Delamor

Paige Miles

Siobhan Magnus

Didi Benami

This will surely make it fun, interesting and exciting as you watch tonight and tomorrow, and see if you agree or disagree with the judges final picks.

You’ll have Eddie Idol’s thoughts and, how many I predicted for the TOP 24……after the Final Solo Performances tonight and tomorrow’s final ‘Top 24 Picks’ show from Hollywood Week…..Stay Tuned!

Kimmy says: Eddie, I can't wait to read what you think about the Top 24!! Don't leaveabitchhanging!!