4 More Sent Packing

Last night really didn't matter.

In the first battle last night, it was Danielle Noriega vs. Jason Yeager. Both are horrible but you know Danielle would be around longer so Jason was sent home.

In the second matchup, it was Amanda Overmeyer vs. Alexendrea Lushington. And, again, you wanted Amanda gone but it was Alexendrea who got the boot.

In the third battle, it matched Kady Malloy vs. Alaina Whitaker. Both were really bad but Kady is much worse. And Alaina was sent home.

In the final challenge, it pitted Robbie Carrico vs. Luke Menard. Again, who cares. It was Robbie sent packing.

The 4 people not eliminated last night should be 4 to go home next week if all goes according to plan. And there you have it America...we should already know our Top 12 !

Top 10 Girls Perform

Wow, I'm not sure what to say after the girls destroyed the 70's last night. There are so many good songs from the 70's and some of the song choice were head scratchers. Anyway, here's how it went.

First up was Carly Smithson who is by far the most talented girl in the competition. She sings "Crazy On You" by Heart. I thought it started out a bit weak but then it really took off after the first 40 seconds or so. I agree with Simon in a way that she need that "moment" just like David Archuletta had the previous night. Every winner in the past has had that moment. But, what I don't agree with Simon is that the "moment" doesn't need to be so early in the competition. Most people that go deep into American Idol who have that Moment have it happen in the Top 10. Why waste that "moment" now since you are a lock to advance. I'd rather have that "moment" occur deeper into the competition. And, she'll be going deep so I'll be looking forward for that "moment" when it occurs.

Following Carly was Syesha Mercado who sang "Me and Mrs. Jones" by Billy Paul. First of all, who the heck is Billy Paul? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller? Bueller? It was definitely not Syesha's best performance. She had a few good power notes to show off her voice but the verse part of the song was blah. Maybe she should try out for "America's Got Talent" to perform her baby cry that she did so well. I like Syesha and I don't think she'll go home this week but she really needs to step up her game.

Next up was flower girl, Brooke White singing Carly Simon's "Your So Vain" while playing the guitar. I liked the part of the song best when she stopped playing the guitar and just sang. She has a good voice and a good look to her but I don't think her voice is super strong. That being said, she has a good personality and is better than some of the other garbage she is competiting against. She just looks like a pot head. Maybe when she gets eliminated further down the line, we'll see her in Central Park, passing a joint, while singing with Jason Castro. She'll be with us for a few more weeks.

Then came Ramiele Malubay who was one of my favorites last week. This week, she chose to sing "Don't Leave Me This Way" by Thelma Houston. I thought it was an okay song choice for her. But, it was not nearly as good and sharp as the prior week. She hit some great power notes towards the second half of the song to make the performance a bit above average but I was hoping she was going come out with a really strong performance to solidify her status as one of the better singers. She didn't quite do that but I don't think she hurt herself with last night's singing.

And here came Kristy Lee Cook, my preseason pick, who was below average last week. She sings Linda Ronstadt's "You're No Good." I thought it was a bit better than ehhhhh and I wanted to like it more as she has a good look to be an artist to sell CDs. She has a good voice but she needs to improve her stage presence and pick a really great song next week. I'm still rooting for her as I think she can be like a Jordan Sparks from last year who started out a bit slow and then got better and better each week. I do agree with Simon that she should go country so let's see what happens. I'm still in her corner for now as I can't just ditch my early pick so early in the competition.

Oh boy...Amanda Overmeyer is next and you can just drop the "meyer" from her last name cause her ride is "over." She came out and butchered Kansas' "Carry On, My Wayward Son." Wait, before I get into the singing, what was up with the hair? She looked like the bride of Edward Sissorhands. Amanda, it's not Halloween, it's a singing contest. As for the singing, uhhh, I mean yelling, what the hell was coming out of her mouth? Was she even screaming English? It was so bad. She actually could sound like Grace Slick if she really tried but it was such a bad performance that I don't think any song choice last night would have made a difference. She was in the bottom last week so her ride ends this week. Carry on, my wayward Rocker chick. You are like a fart; it just goes away like "dust in the wind."

Then came Alaina Whitaker. She really looks like an uglier version of Carrie Underwood with a gap in her front teeth. Please have that fixed if you make the Top 12. I don't think it worked for Lauren Hutton and it doesn't work for you. She sings Olivia Newton John's "Hopelessly Devoted To You." This performance I didn't love. She was much better last week and that was a surprise as she didn't get a lot of screen time in the auditions round. This performance just bored me. It was the wrong song choice. It was too slow and didn't give her a chance to really belt out the notes. Plus, her voice was pitchy and her blue dress was homely. She's on the bubble this week but I think she'll be around a bit longer.

Next up was Alexandrea Lushington. I hate how they pronounce her first name. She sings "If You Leave Me Now" by Chicago. I want to like her more than I do as I think she has a good look but I compare her to a Vonzell Solomon from season 3 and the voice just doesn't compare. Plus, she gets lost in the crowd of 9 other girls. She just doesn't stand out. Based on last night, there is a chance she cold go home but I'm betting that we'll have another week of Alexandrea.

Hitting the stage next was Kady Malloy singing Heart's "Magic Man." Do you want to see magic Kady? Abracadabra! You are gone! Wow...she just doesn't have what it takes. She's not a terrible singer but she just doesn't have what it takes. She can easily join a band and hit up clubs or bars in a city and do a decent job at that. But as for making it big time? Unless NBC brings back "The Next Great One" (impersonator show), she's not going to be on TV again.

Finally, there was Asia'h Epperson. I didn't love Asia'h as much as the judges last week but I want to like her more as she has a good personality. She chose to sing "All By Myself." And, ouch, it was bad. When I saw that she was performing last, I thought it was going to be great but it was far from that. The song was a complete train wreck. Besides a few power vocals towards the end, the rest of the singing was disastrous. Maybe Asia'h should tour with Jason Yeager so he can go back to Asia where they appreciated his singing. But from where I live and through my ears, it was hard to listen to.

So, the best of the night belonged to Carly Smithson. But the worst three goes to Kady Malloy, Amanda Overmeyer, and Asia'h Epperson. I'll say that Kady and Amanda go home.

Well find out tonight. Until then, Birdman Out.

Top 10 Boys Perform

Since last week was 60's night, this week was 70's night and boy was it disappointing. Listening to an EJ Day CD could have been more soothing to my ears than some of last night's top 10 guys. So, here's how it went down.

The night started off with one of the stronger contestants - Michael Johns. He sings "Go Your Own Way" by Fleetwood Mac. Well, he sung this his own way and it was not good. I'm not sure what went wrong this week. It was really bad vocals. Fleetwood Mac has such a unique sound as a band and the song choice just didn't work for this guy. He should still be okay but I hope they make him sweat it out on Thursday to put a little scare into him.

Jason Castro hit the stage next. I don't get this guy. First of all, a white guy looks ridiculous with dreadlocks. Take a shower and shave that off. Secondly, if you have Rasta hair, your teeth should NOT be as nice. Every tooth was perfectly sculpted and was as white as a marshmellow. Okay, on to the music part. He came out with his guitar and sung "I Just Wanna Be Your Everything." I have to give him some credit...he does strum a good guitar. However, I just don't get the singing. I was shocked how the judges gave him praise last week but they brought him back down to earth this week. His voice just isn't that strong. Still, there was a lot worse this week so he's probably safe. Again, his stage is Central Park, 85 degrees outside, wearing ripped jeans, a stupid t-shirt, a dumb hat, while smoking a joint and plucking his guitar.

So, here cam Luke "Perry" Menard who sings "Killer Queen" by Queen. Freddy Mercury must have been turning over in his grave. This could have been the worst performance of the evening. Yeah, girls may think he's cute but you need a voice to go with the looks. His voice was all over the place. I can't even tell you how many times he crackled. The force was not strong with Luke last night. Actually, the force has never been strong with this Luke.

Following that disaster was Robbie Carrico who sung Foreigner's "Hot Blooded." I thought it was a good song choice for him. He actually looks like Reese Witherspoon with facial scruff. I actually thought he did a good job. Is he going to win American Idol? Absolutely not. Will he make the Top 6 boys? I think he has a good chance. I think next week for the 80's, he needs to come out and blow us all away. What would be perfect for his voice is Poison's "Every Rose Has It's Thorn" which could vault him deeper into the competition.

Then came Danielle Noriega. She just rubs me the wrong way. His looks are creepier than Sanjaya. He should be performing at Lucky Cheng's (Drag Club) in the city. He came out in this vest and sung "Superstar" which was the wrong song choice. Ruben Studdard did a great job with that song in Season 2 and Danielle just butchered it. The performance was queer and the singing was horrific. There is no market out there for this guy. He's not good enough to sell CDs and he's not bad enough to even make a mock CD ala William Hung. He's just gonna get the boot one of these weeks and go back to whatever the heck he does. I was shocked that the judges thought he was better than last week. But, there were a few people worse than him last night so we are probably stuck with him for another week.

Up next was David Hernandez who was good last week but definitely stepped it up a notch this week singing "Papa Was A Rolling Stone." He did a great job. First of all, girls are gonna love this kid. Secondly, his voice is really good. He's one of the top 4 guys easily. The trick for David is to be consistent and to grow each week. Now, that's 2 solid performances and next week, he needs to take it to even another level. But, I like this guy. He's a lock to continue on this journey. At the time, it was definitely the best vocal of the night.

We then took a step backwards with Jason Yeager. They had said that he performs with a group that has gone to Japan twice. Oh, these poor Japanese people had to listen to this guy two times. He "sang" "Long Train Running" and it was boring, weak, and cheesy. His dance movies were one of the most pathetic in 7 years of American Idol. It was a Disney float performance. It couldn't have even of been performed on Off Off Off Broadway. Nothing was good about the performance except when it ended. This could be the last we see of Jason.

Then came Chikezie Eze, or Mini Ruben. I'm not a huge Chikezie fan and hated his blue shirt with florescent green collars. He sung "I Believe To My Soul" which I've never heard of before. And, he did okay compared to the week prior. I don't love this guy as he's not nearly as good as Ruben, or for that matter, George Huff. But, Chikezie has personality which will keep him around another week. He had the line of the night after Simon was making fun of his suit last week asking if he's ever wear it again. Chikezie responded that he'd never wear an outfit twice on TV and that only Simon would do that. It was a quick, funny response. So, the response gets him my vote for this week. I still don't think he's a great singer, nor do I think he'll be in the Top 12 but as for this week, he definitely bought himself another week.

Next up was another of my favorites. If you recall, back in the audition round, I had said, "We could be listening to the next American Idol" and David did nothing last night not to believe that he has a chance. With his guitar he sings "All Right Now" and he did a fantastic job. It was the perfect song choice for his voice. He had good stage presence and got the crowd involved in the song as well. It didn't bother me about his crossword puzzle fetish. Hey, that's much better than a foot fetish. I didn't like when he got defensive with Simon as that never looks good but hopefully it will be forgotten. Again, this guy is like a baseball flying off the bat of David Wright...he's going deep, deep, deep.....

Finally, David Archuletta performed John Lennon's "Imagine" and this is a performance that will be remembered all season. It was unique and was top notch. The girls went wild when he completed his performance. I really believe that he will be standing there in May's finale. He really has his act together for a 16 year old. Plus, he's S.F.H. - So Freggin Happy - all the time. How can you not like this guy.

So, gone Thursday night should be Luke Menard and Jason Yeager but I'm still rooting for Danielle Noriega to be gone.

Well...bring on the girls. Until then, Birdman Out.

First 4 Eliminated

I was 3 for 4. But I knew they weren't getting rid of Danielle (Daniel).

Idol Recap: Top 12 Girls Perform

Three of my favorite non-winners of the prior 6 seasons have been girls - Tamayra Gray, LaToya London, and Vonzell Solomon. There has been three girls I've loathed - Fantasia Barrino, Paris Bennett, and Mikelah Gordon. What will we get tonight? Will it be rememberable? Or will they just fade away like a Julia DeMato, Camille Velasco, or Stephanie Edwards.

The girls have won 4 of the 6 seasons of American Idol so the odds are that a few of these girls will stand out. I'm just hoping we don't have a Final 3 like we did in season 3 where we were left with Jasmine Trias, Diana DeGarmo and Fantasia Barrino. We can't do much worse than that...right? Last night was a bit interesting as some of the girls had the flu so I'm not sure what to officially think. Here's how the girls performed:

My preseason favorite, Kristy Lee Cook, was up first. She is one of the girls who has the flu. She came out looking good and sung "Rescue Me." I was actually a bit disappointed. I thought she was going to do much better. I think her cold affected her voice but I still think she will be better next week when she recovers from her illness. This was like David Hernandez' performance the night before when he was first. It was good but it was not groundbreaking. Part of that must have been the nerves to be on stage first. As far as I'm concerned, the Cook is still in the house.

Joanne Borgella was next to hit the stage. She's far from Kimberly Lock. She's not even close to Mandisa. Maybe, at best, she's LaKisha Jones. But really, it was not that good. She sang "I Say I Little Prayer" and I did pray afterwards that she'd be going home soon. The song choice was bad. It was too much a Keroeke song. The voice was off and she really didn't do much on the stage. She won't be with us long. It's just a matter of time.

Following Joanne was Alaina Whitaker who is only 16. She looks a bit older than that. She actually looks a bit like Carrie Underwood but with a gap in her front teeth. Come on Alaina, you knew you were going to be on this show a few weeks ago. Go to a dentist and get your tooth bonded. She performed "More Today Than Yesterday." He voice is actually not terrible. I actually thought she had a nice voice. My problem is that she's no different than Carrie and not as strong. So, basically, we've been there, done that. She could be on the bubble for the Top 6 girls. The jury is still out on Alaina.

Next up is Amanda Overmyer. She's the biker chick that looks like a bigger version of Nikki McKibbin. I'm not a huge fan of this girl. She yelled "Baby, Please Don't Go." I'm not sure what the heck was going on with this performance. It was horrific. She didn't show off her voice. She screamed the entire song and I couldn't make out a single lyric. The judges like her because she is different. I can't stand it. For me, she's Fantasia Barrino - different with a voice that makes me want to walk out of the livingroom and into the kitchen. She could go far based on originality but I hope and I pray that her yelling causes sever laryngitis so I don't have to hear another word come out of her mouth. By the way, was she singing English last night? I almost turned on "Closed Caption For The Hearing Impaired" last night so I could see the lyrics that she was yelling.

Following that screaming-fest was Amy Davis. We actually did see her early in the auditions but I barely remembered her. After her performance last night, I still barely remembered her. She sang "Where The Boys Are" and it was not great. It was so slow, boring, flat, pitchy, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Sorry, I just fell asleep. She could be the first to get eliminated. It was really bad.

Then came Brooke White. Remember her...she's the girl who's never seen an R rated movie. Oye Vey. Figures she'd sing a song called "Happy Together" which David Cooke performed so well the previous night. It was by no means as good as David's but it was far from a terrible performance. It was a bit above average. She's a big question mark as to whether she makes the Top 6 girls or not. I'd like to see her sing a more recent song next week.

And here came Alexandrea Lushington. She has a Latoya Londonish look to her. She sang "Spinning Wheel" and did a good job. I thought she had fun on the stage and put on a good performance. Simon didn't love it but give this girl something a bit more recent and she could be a dark horse this season to make a good run.

Here came Kady Malloy, the Britney impersonator. She's one of the many blondes in this competition. If you had to line her up against some of the other blondes, Kristiy and Brooke are both better. She sings "Groovy Kind Of Love." What she has in her favor is a good look to her. If she survives this week, she better hope that next week's theme is pop music of the 80's or 90's which would benefit her. But, if they go country, she's dead in the water. She looked like she was going to cry when the judges gave her the critique. Awwwwwwww, Kady, do you need a Kleenex?

Up next was Asia'h Epperson. Her dad had passed away right before her original audition. I hated her song choice of "Piece Of My Heart." It was such a shower performance. Can't you see her in the shower singing this song into her shampoo bottle? Sucks about her dad but if she sings like that again, she'll have more time to visit the grave site. Ouch...that wasn't nice of me. I actually think she is much better than she did last night. Let's hope she's better if she sticks around another week. I was shocked that the judges loved her performance. I really thought it was weak.

My favorite person of the night was so unexpected. It belonged to Ramiele Malubay who sang "You don't Have To Say You Love Me." She got it right when it came to song choice. This song is old but it would still work if someone released this song today. She has a great voice and a really cute look to her. I totally underestimated her in the auditions and she's now one of my favorites. She's a lock for the Top 6 girls. She would blow away Jasmine Trias in a head to head competition.

It had to be hard to follow Ramielle but Syesha Mercado was up for the task. She has this Nadia Turner look to her but her voice is much stronger. She was sick and still belted out "Tobacco Road." I wasn't sure where she was going with the song when it started off but she ended on a high note. Another lock for the Top 6.

Finally, the last performer was Carly Smithson. She's been getting a lot of heat for having a recording contract with MCA records that failed and that she' getting a 2nd chance. For me, that doesn't matter. There have been contestants of the past that have made their own CDs and have been signed. I'm ignoring all of that and just focusing on her performance. She sang "The Shadow Of Your Smile." She is the most seasoned performer of the bunch and I think the judges were a little harder on her so she pushes herself even more to get better. She's really in a class by herself in terms of stage presence and singing ability. She's gonna have some performances this season that are going to just blow us away. Last night was just safe but she's going to go really deep.

So, here's my predictions who make the Top 6 girls:
1. Carly Smithson
2. Ramiele Malubay
3. Syesha Mercado
4. Kristy Lee Cook
5. Amanda Overmyer
6. Huh...it could be any one of the following: Brooke White, Asia'h Epperson, Alaina Whitaker, or Alexandrea Lushington. I'll wait to next week to pick one of them.

As for who is going home? It's Amy Davis and Joanne Borgella.

Catch ya later. Birdman Out.

Idol Recap: Top 12 Men Perform

What do A.J. Gill, Charles Grigsby, John Stevens, Anthony Federov, Bucky Covington, and Sanjaya Malakar all have in common? You can't figure it out? Well, I'll tell you. Each of these gentlemen made the Top 12 each of the first 6 seasons on American Idol and each of these 6 guys seriously damaged my ear drum as I had to painfully listen to them each week until they were finally eliminated.

That brings me to last night were the boys kicked off the real part of the competition for Season 7. They actually gave this round a theme - 60's - for the first time. I'm not sure I liked that they had to sing music that isn't their style at this stage of the competition but hey...I don't make the rules. So, here's how it played out:

David Hernandez kicked it off singing "The Midnight Hour". I thought he did a good job to start it off as it can't be easy to be first. He has a good voice. He has a good look that girls are going to love and a smooth voice ala Elliot Yamin. He should make the Top 6 guys but that will depend on how much of an impact the Vote For The Worst sites have on the singers that are really bad. So, good start Dave !

Chikezie Eze is up next. Before he even sang a note, his name is against him already. He reminded me a bit of Ruben Studdard but not nearly as good. I hated his reddish/orange suit he was wearing. What was that? He looked like he should have been singing on some float in a parade. He sang "I Love Your More Today Than Yesterday." Actually, I loved him less the more I heard him. And, who the heck is gonna buy a Chikezie Eze CD. Try and say that fast 10 times. His voice was definitely pitchy and I HATE when contestants go back and fourth with the judges. Take the criticism and let America decide to give you the boot. This guy could easily be booted this week.

Next up was David Cook. David was one of my early favorites in the audition round when I had said "we could be looking at the next American Idol." I won't say that he will win the competition but he is going to go very far. He comes out and sings "So Happy Together" and made it his own sing. There was a few parts I didn't love but his voice is solid and he has good stage presence. He's a lock to be in the Top 6 boys.

Following David was Jason Yeager who got minimal air time in the auditions and Hollywood round. He sang "Moon River" which I'm not a huge fan of. He did an okay job but it was boring. I can see this guy in a dark smoky piano room singing on a mic with a fishbowl for people to throw in dollars. He definitely wasn't the worst of the night but having minimal air time combined with the fact that the performance wasn't that good combined with the fact that it was forgettable the next day, he could be gone this week or next week. Okay, here's a quiz. What is the name of the guy I'm talking about? Don't look at the first sentence and tell me if you can remember this guy's name? Exactly ! That is why this guy is gone!

After that snoozefest was Robbie Carrico. He comes out with a bandana looking like one of those cheesy 80's "metal" bands but he actually pulled it off. He sung "One" and it was one of the best performances of the night. He claims he's a rocker but I agree with Simon that he could be more a pop singer. He's has a nice voice and what I liked about him is that he could sound like a Bo Bice or Chris Daughtry but he could also pull off what Chris Richardson wanted to do last year but couldn't - boy band pop ! Look for Robbie to stay around for a while.

Then came David Archuleta. This guy is a lock to go all the way to the Top 5. Girls love him already. He's very innocent and yeah, he's got this cute thing that will garner votes. He sings "Shop Around". I didn't think it was his best performance. At some parts of the song, I felt that the music was louder than his singing. However, this kid is a performer and looks comfortable like he belongs on stage. His voice also sounds a bit like Elliot Yamin but has a much better look to him. So, the 3rd David of the night was done and all three Davids should have no problem advancing.

So, here came Danny Noriega. She, I mean, he comes out looking like Jessica Alba with a Dudley Moore hairstyle, wearing school boy clothing and a thin guido tie. I'm gonna call this guy Danielle until he's eliminated. He is creepy and is this year's Sanjaya. He will be the one that we scratch our heads each week wondering how he didn't get eliminated. I hope I'm wrong as I couldn't stand this kid in the auditions and now the pain has gotten worse. He butchered "Jailhouse Rock." First of all, I HATE Elvis. Second of all, a guy that looks like a girl should NOT sing Elvis. I think you need to be a bot more masculine to pull off an Elvis tune. Simon hit the nail on the coffin when he called the performance "grotesque." Please, please, please have this thing eliminated tonight. I can't deal with weeks and weeks of seeing this kid sing.

Then came Luke Menard who looks like a cross between Hugh Jackman and Luke Perry. He didn't have a lot of audition air time either. He sang "Everybody's Talking At Me" and it was boring. He had some good notes and bad notes but who really cares. Sorry Luke, the Force is NOT with you this season. He could be gone this week or next week.

And now was time for Colton Berry to shine. He was the one who beat out Klye in the final cut from the Hollywood Round. He sang "Suspicious Minds" which is the one Elvis tune I can bear listening to. He's more a Broadway performer than a recording artist. The performance wasn't as cheesy as Danielle's but it still was cheesy. Think of it as sharp cheddar vs. mild cheddar. However, there has been guys like Colton that have made the Top 6 for boys before. Remember John Stevens and Kevin Covias? He could sneak in that final spot but I'm thinking he'll be gone over the next few weeks.

Next up was Garrett Haley. They didn't show this kid at all in the previous rounds and for good reason. He's terrible. I loved the Leif Garrett / Peter Frampton look comparison but when the microphone covered his mouth, he looked like a girl with a serious need or electrolysis on his lower lip. Shave that peach fuzz off, put on some lipstick, and be a girl. He's probably get more people talking about him if he advanced and came out in drag next week. He sang "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do" and it was weak. His voice was shaky and pitchy and it just wasn't a strong voice. It was a very high school performance. He's a lock to go home this week.

Then, there was Jason Castro which was a coincidence that Fidel Castro resigned the same day. I don't believe they are related This kid looks like a Jewish John Stamos with dirty dreadlocks. First of all, I HATE dreadlocks. Take a freggin shower kid and cut the hair. You look ridiculous. He came out with the guitar singing "Daydream." This reminded me of those irritating people in Central Park that sit around in circles and play the guitar and sing. I hate these people. I'm trying to read my magazine and I have to hear dirty people just sit around and strum the guitar and butcher songs that I've never heard of. This Jason kid did okay and I was SHOCKED that the judges really liked him. I didn't quite get it but hey, what do I know. I own 7 New Edition CDs. I can see him on the cusp on the Top 6 but I really don't think he belongs there. I think his playing of the guitar and doing it well can help him.

Finally, as Vanessa Williams once said they "saved the best for last." Michael Johns is his name and this guy is talented. This guy has stage presence. This guy has a look that girls will like. This guy is fine tuned. And this guy can sing. He sang "Light My Fire" and performed it perfectly. It was a great way to end the night. He could be standing there in May's finale but I'll wait until the girls do their thing.

So, here is the 6 guys worthy of making the Top 12:
1. Michael Johns
2. David Archuleta
3. David Cook
4. Robbie Carrico
5. David Hernandez
6. Jason Castro

Going home Thursday Night should be Garrett Haley and Danielle Noriega (even though this clown will probably stick around for a bit just to irritate me.)

Bring on the girls. Until then, Birdman Out.

Top 24 Revealed !

So, the top 24 was revealed last night. I was a bit disappointed that Josiah didn't make the cut. Yeah, he was a bit cocky but I thought his voice was so unique that he could have made things interesting. I also thought that Kyle was a better singer than Colton but I liked the way they handled it with Simon saying he didn't agree with the choice. And, who the heck is Garrett Haley? I've never see than guy before. As for the girls, I remember all of them except Alexandrea Lushington. I didn't see what happened between the last two girls as FOX ran over the allotted 1 hour so the DVR cut off. What a joke. Anyway, the LOCKS for the Top 10 are marked below with an "X". However, I'm going to wait to hear them all sing next week to revise my Top 12 as I think I had 2 people drop off from yesterday reveal.

The men are:
David Archuleta, 17, Murray, Utah; X
Colton Berry, 18, Staunton, Va.;
Robbie Carrico, 26, Melbourne, Fla.;
Jason Castro, 20, Rockwall, Texas;
David Cook, 25, Tulsa, Okla.; X
Chikezie Eze, 22, Inglewood, Calif.;
Garrett Haley, 17, Elida, Ohio;
David Hernandez, 24, Glendale, Ariz.;
Luke Menard, 29, Crawfordsville, Ind.;
Danny Noriega, 18, Azusa, Calif.;
Jason Yeager, 28, Branson, Mo.,
Michael Johns, 29, Los Angeles by way of Australia. X

And the ladies:
Amanda Overmyer, 23, Mulberry, Ind.; X
Brooke White, 24, Van Nuys, Calif.;
Joanne Borgella, 25, Hoboken, N.J.;
Kristy Lee Cook, 24, Selma, Ore.; X
Amy Davis, 25, Cedar Lake, Ind.;
Asia'h Epperson, 19, Joplin, Mo.;
Alexandrea Lushington, 17, Douglasville, Ga.;
Kady Malloy, 18, Houston, Tx;
Ramiele Malubay, 20, Miramar, Fla.;
Syesha Mercado, 21, Miami;
Alaina Whitaker, 16, Tulsa, Okla.,
Carly Smithson, San Diego by way of Dublin, Ireland. X

Birdman Out.

My Early Predictions

Okay, we hit Hollywood last night. There were many good performances and there are probably a bunch of good people we haven't seen yet but you would tend to think that the people we know already are locks for the Top 24. But, it would be too easy to predict the Top 24. So, I'm going right for the Top 12. I think the boys are a bit stronger this year. Here's my early picks:

THE GIRLS:
1. Carly Smithson: She's the Irish tattooed chick that reminds me a bit of Gina Glocksin.
2. Kristi Lee Cooke: She's the really pretty girl who was my really early pick to win it all. She could be this year's smarter version of Kellie Pickler.
3. Amanda Overmyer: She's the rocker chick this year with the Melissa Ethridge voice. She reminds me of a rougher Nikki McKibbin.
4. Sayesha Mercado: She is the black girl with the bushy big hair. Basically, this year's Nadia Turner.
5. Asia'h Epperson: Her father recently died. I bet she drops her last name like Treynece and Fantasia.
6. Brooke White: She's never seen an R rated movie before. She's a basic blonde with a Carole Kingish voice. She's on the bubble and could easily be replaced by someone we don't even know yet.

THE BOYS:
1. David Archuleta: He's the teenage heart throb. Girls will love him. He's already won Jr. Star Search. If he doesn't win, I could see him in High School Musical: The Next Generation
2. Michael Johns: He's the Australian rocker. He reminds me a bit of Ace Young but much better.
3. Josiah Leming: He lives in a car and sings with a British voice. He's my dark horse this year. There's something I like about him.
4. David Cooke: I'm glad he took the red out of his hair. He really doesn't remind me of anyone but he has great pipes. He was an early favorite of mine.
5. David Hernandez: He's the Latino stud. I see a cross between Phil Stacey and Joshua Gracin.
6A/6B. A Tie: Kyle Ensley, the dork who wants to be president. He's this year's Kevin Covias / John Stevens / and a bit of Clay Aiken but nearly as good. He's tied with Danny Noriega who looks a bit like a girl, has a good voice, but I can't stand this kid. He irritates me the same way that Mikalah Gordon and Paris Bennet did.

So, let's see tonight who makes the Top 24. Then, I'm picking my Top 5 !

Until then...Birdman Out !

Auditions: All Cities

Finally, it was the last night we had to put ourselves through the dreaded audition rounds. This is how it went:

With so many clips of people we've seen or never heard or montages, I'm not sure if I'm missing anyone important so if I miss anyone, oh well.

Amy Davis was in for her audition. When was the one who had a Japanese mother but really didn't look Asian. She had nice look to her and a good voice but it was nothing that was going to have her stand out in a crowd. I think in Hollywood she needs to have better song choices if she wants a chance of the Top 24.

Tiffany was up next. She looks just like a crack addict version of Amani Toomer of the NY Giants in drag. The scary thing is that "God told her to audition." Man...she should stop talking to God and listening to his advice if he's telling her to audition. She sings "Hallelujah" and it was more like "Holyshitahhhhhhh." Hey Tiff...tuck your penis in, put on some jeans, and get back to your job stocking cereal in the supermarket.

The creepiest part of the night had to be Chris and Coby sharing their girlfriend Ashley. Chris and Coby are like Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb with out the fat stomachs. These two are far from Rhode Scholars and their girlfriend is as dumb as nails. This is what happens when your parents work in a KY Jelly factory and try and pick up their kids before cleaning their hands. The babies get dropped on their heads. I'm not sure what the guys were doing rapping but one of the moron twins couldn't remember the words to a stupid unfunny rap song they made up. Then, the chick comes in with a cute dog which was the only thing part of the audition that was worth paying attention to. Plus, the dog's name was Panda. That is the DUMBEST name for a dog EVER. She sings a song called "Red High Heels" but was wearing black heels cause Panda ate them. These three are so stupid that you couldn't even scrip this if you tried.

Then there was Cardin McKinney. For some reason, I've heard her name before. I don't know if she's been on some other reality show but for some reason, this name sounded so familiar. I looked her up to see if I could find where is from and I found nothing but pretty pictures. Her voice was very Broadway but I think she had a unique look and a good voice so she'll go deep. I really think she could make Top 24 and beyond.

And let's not forget JoAnne, the plus-sized model. She's sung before at Madison Square Garden so I thought this girl was gonna have some good pipes. Her pipes must have been clogged as I was not impressed and neither were the judges. I guess it's back to MSG or the Izod Center doing the National Anthem for Indoor Lacrosse games.

The most interesting performance of the night belonged to Alesha. I hated this girl's teeth but she had a decent look to her. I didn't hate the singing as much as Simon and Paula said she sounded like Dolly Parton. So, they asked her to come back, learn a Dolly song, and re-audition which she did. I think every year they have someone go on a wild goose chase to learn a song and then come back. This year, Alesha was that sucka. Yeah, she did sing nice in a country twang but Top 24? Hell no. Time to get a job working 9 to 5.

Joshua "Smooth" Moreland came in with his big teeth, this ridiculous red coat, and these stupid sunglasses thinking he was P. Diddy or some other rap icon. I didn't like his appearance. I didn't like his accessories. I didn't like his voice. I hope he has the receipt to return that coat to the costume shop where he purchased it.

Next up was Chikezie Ese. What was that? Chimpanzee? Chicken of the Sea? What was his name? Before he sang, do you really think anyone is gonna buy a CD from Chikezie? The f**ked up thing was that his voice was smooth. Could he make the Top 24? Yeah...he has a shot. But, I surely wouldn't bet my testicle on it.

Finally, knock on wood, was the last audition we were going to have to sit through. This one belonged to Danny Noriega. Before a word even came out of his mouth, I knew I was gonna hate him. He could be this years John Stevens, Kevin Covais, or Sanjaya. I hope I'm wrong as I can't deal with this kid for the next 3 months. His voice was OK but there is something about this kid that rubs me the wrong way. I just have to hope he flops in Hollywood which is just a week away.

Early predictions on my Top 12 come out immediately after the Top 24 is revealed. Early favorites are David Cook vs. Kristy Lee Cook in the finals but I could be SO wrong. Until next week...Birdman out.

Auditions: Atlanta

Well...the final audition city of Atlanta has arrived and I'm happy as a flea on horse poop that this annoying part is finally over. Here's how the final city went down:

The first guy us is Josh Jones. Not a bad name for an artist, plus, he had a good look to him so I thought he was going to rock it. He was a bit cheesy and he was doing these things with his eyes that was drying Simon crazy. However, his voice wasn't terrible but this guy isn't got a shot in hell of making the top 24.

Next up was JP. He comes out in a pink shirt and his hair was sort of in a pompadour. He looked a bit "off" JP didn't want to go back to school and wanted a career in music. So, he really could have that career in music - at the cash register of a music store. J.P. must stand for Just Please (shut up). The scary thing is that he was a music major. Hope he has enough time to switch majors and still graduate on time. It's very sad when your parents are first cousins.

Following that disaster was Asia'h. A strange but interesting name. I don't know what her last name is but she doesn't need it. Asia'h is all that is needed. This girl's father passed away a few days before the competition and you could hear the emotion in her voice. Luckily, this girl can sing and had a pretty look to her. Yeah, she has the S.S.S.F. - Sob Story Sympathy Factor - in her favor but I think she's on the verge of the Top 24. She has a chance of being my this year's Tamayra, Latoya, or Vonzell. Well...let's wait and see in the Hollywood round but I'd root for this chick.

Following that is Brooke, who won Miss South Florida Fair. Okay, first of all, if you won ANY pageant followed by the word "Fair", I could give a crap. The word "Fair" takes away from all the flair as the people who enter these competitions are white trash for the most part. I've watched enough kids in pageant specials on TV to know that these kids are creepy. Nothing is worse when you see pageant pictures or videos of these kids with the big hair, the caked on make-up, the porcelain veneers on the teeth, and the freakin' weird cowboy outfit. YUCK. I don't like these people at all. Pageant people should be locked up with Dog Show people so we don't ever have to see them. That being said, Brooke did have nice teeth even though they may be fake. And Simon had it right on the money that she was "possibly the most annoying person I've ever seen in my life." Stop with the fake talk and be a real human Brooke. However, I do have to give her credit, she did have a nice voice. If she wants Top 24, she needs a quick image change.

Eva Miller is up next. She looks like a crack addict. The judges didn't now if she was being fake and putting on an act to be on TV. I wasn't sure myself until she had some tears. This girl was a talentless moron. Stroke victims have better singing voices than this girl. And her dance moves? What the heck? It was like she was just spinning like she was on some kind of drug which she probably was. Stop with the music and stick with the crack Eva.

Next up was Alexandrea. I liked her singing but the three quick yesses made her seem like she was SO much better than she was. She was good but was she great? I guess only time will tell.

Then there was Nathan who Simon said sounded like he was singing alone in his room to a CD. I think this kid rehearsed all of his lines that he wanted to say to confront the judges to just get on TV. I wasn't buying his act so I won't give this jackass the glory of taking up any more of my time.

Up next was Amanda. She was a nurse that rides a motorcycle. She has this rocker voice like Melissa Ethridge who I can't stand. She has this blond front to her dark hair and could become this year's Nikki McKibbin. She's definitely different and has a good voice. I personally don't like her but I think she could go deep. I hope I'm wrong.

Finally, there is Josiah who talks and sings in this English accent. First of all, he needs a major makeover. His style was boring in his t-shirt and his plain dull hair. But, in a weird way, I liked this guy. I think he had a decent voice, a good personality, and yeah, he just stood out. I'd root for this guy. However, I need to hear him sing again in Hollywood.

Well, that's it. Tonight is just some auditions that we didn't see, some good and some bad. So, maybe there will be some people with talent that they will show.

But for now, Birdman Out.