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I doubt many of us were surprised by Lacey Brown's elimination (and the fact that the judges opted to keep their Get Out Of Jail Free card). She seems so sweet, though. Very likable. Unfortunately, she just never made much of an impact on the show.
Meanwhile, Tim Urban lives to sing another day. Next week is probably make-or-break for him; if he has another disappointing round, it will likely be his last. But one never knows what will happen on Idol, does one? Let's keep the faith, shall we?

What in the world. While I find the "spelling" of her name annoying, I kept an open mind about this performance. For a second or two, anyway, until it was revealed to be a complete wreck. The giant TV people, the possible lip synching (we can't do that on a national singing competition, kids!), the headgear, the wobbling around as if possibly drunk -- oh, and the song itself. Ugh. (No offense.)

I enjoyed the opening montage, which looked like the show had time-traveled back to a 1950s television set that was on the fritz. (Someone needed to adjust the antenna.)
Also interesting: Simon and Ryan's ongoing "drama" (which I believe is fake, but who knows). When Ryan asked what was wrong, Simon said, "Your aggressive behavior last night."
Simon then posed an intriguing question to our host: "Do you want my job? Because it felt like an audition."
Ryan said no, but could we picture him at the table, sipping from his Coke cup? Not really.

I found myself disagreeing quite a bit with the judges last night. A few examples:
- Comparing Siobhan to Adam Lambert. Really? I know she tends to go for that one crazy note (which was questionable in clarity last night), but overall, I don't think her vocal strength or her state presence are anywhere near Mr. Lambert's. This could be a ploy by the judges to retain skeptical viewers: "Ooh, look! We have another wildly flamboyant contestant!" No, we don't.
- Lee DeWyze. I loved his version of "Beast of Burden" so much that I shall buy it on iTunes today. I thought he took an old song and made it incredibly current, but the judges wished for more. We clearly weren't hearing the same thing.
- Paige Miles. Who else thinks she should go home simply for changing the "Honky Tonk Woman" lyrics in such a contrived fashion? Her version: "I'm a hooonky tonk woman! Gimme, gimme, gimme a honky tonk man." The real version: "It's the hooonky tonk women! Gimme, gimme, gimme the honky tonk blues." No! You cannot change "blues" to "man." I was irrationally perturbed by this.

Fans gather at a Potbelly restaurant in Arlington to watch and cheer on Tim Urban on "American Idol." Urban regularly performed at two Arlington Potbelly restaurants before becoming an American Idol hopeful. (DMN Video/editing: Michael Ainsworth)

Watch the video.

With more than half of the performances complete, it's been a pretty entertaining night. Sadly, though, no one has caused me to erupt in spontaneous cheers and applause from my living room.
That includes Tim Urban. He opted to put a reggae/quirky spin on "Under My Thumb," which was a risk that didn't pay off so well.
While the judges all panned the performance, Kara and Simon both applauded him for at least doing something different with the song. ("Having said that," Simon added, "it didn't work.")
Is he in danger of getting the boot tomorrow? Very much so. His only hope is if someone else falls off the stage or forgets the song or says the Stones stink. Something along those lines.

"Welcome to the main event," Ryan said at the top of tonight's show, which is when things get serious. (Or more serious than before. I suppose it's serious from the minute one gets that ticket to Hollywood.)
Tonight's theme: Rolling Stones songs. Michael Lynche started the show with a commendable take on "Miss You," although I wasn't blown away. Neither was Simon, who said he "thought the performance at times -- particularly your dancing -- was kind of corny."
Next up was Didi Benami, who showed us her darker side with "Playing With Fire." I liked it fine. Again, not blown away.
Fort Worth's Casey James then performed a bluesy version of "It's All Over Now." The crowd went wild and the judges were in his corner -- although Simon pointed out that he could have used the stage more. (Very true. I was also itching for him to move around a little more, but I've been able to forgive him for this.)
The best quote of the night came from Ellen as she critiqued cutie-pie Casey. "For most women, their hearts start racing just looking at you. But for people like me [pause for laughter from the crowd] -- blondes -- I thought it was fantastic, Casey."

What a coincidence: Both North Texans still in the running are linked to the word "shirtless" all over the World Wide Web. More on this in a minute.
Taking a break from rehearsals this afternoon, Tim says he's going to "have a lot of fun" with the Rolling Stones theme tomorrow. "I'm not going to worry too much about the judges and sing a song, have a lot of fun with it. Just have a blast."
So how did this American Idol roller coaster get started for him?
"I tried out because my friends really, really wanted me to try out," he says. "I never did, but I told them if the show came back to Dallas, I'd try out. I didn't think they'd come back to Dallas anytime soon, actually. But when they did, I felt like I had to try out.
"It was half that my friends wanted me to, and half that I kinda secretly wanted to."
The experience hasn't been without its share of humilation for Tim; after he sang live for the first time, Simon skewered the poor guy as the nation watched.
"That first week was rough," Tim says now. "Very brutal. But I've always been a fan of Simon. He's mean, kinda, but he's right. He doesn't randomly make stuff up to tell you. When he was pretty brutal and I made it through, I didn't want to give him a reason to say that again. I figured I'd better step things up. So it was definitely a confidence booster knowing that I had."
None of this is quite sinking in yet, he says: "It's kind of funny -- I'll stop and go, 'Wait, I think I'm on American Idol, and I think I'm in the top 12. When did this happen?' We're kind of in an isolated bubble."
OK, so about that picture.
"Ah, yes, the famous picture," Tim says with a laugh. "Last summer I was in a competition for acting, modeling and singing, and obviously I'd entered; I was definitely into doing some modeling.
"It's just me walking down a runway, and that picture is all over everywhere. Oh, man, I've been asked about that so many times."
Once he made it onto the show, Tim decided to keep the photo on his Facebook page "because I figured eventually it would get out, and I didn't want people to think I was going to try to hide it."
Which begs the question: Why would one hide it?
"I don't know that it's hurt yet," Tim admits with a laugh, "so I guess I can't complain."

This afternoon, the nice folks at Idol offered up a few minutes of phone time with Casey James and Tim Urban. I happily took them up on this.
First, breaking news: Casey is sick. With the flu, not just the sniffles. While he's a bit worried about that, he seems to have a peaceful attitude about life in general right now.
"I'm really trying to stay - and I know this is a stupid word - but I want to stay grounded," he says. "It's so easy to get wrapped up in all of this, being on TV and stuff, but really my prerogative is music. So I'm just trying to keep that the focus and continue to do what I've been doing since the very first time I auditioned. Just go and be me and hope that it works."
Speaking of that first audition: Casey says he'd never planned to try out for Idol. Since he doesn't own a TV, he'd never really watched it. "But hearing about it or whatnot, or walking in while it's on the TV, I just got the impression that it wasn't a place where I would be easily accepted. I'm not a real big fancy singer; I'm just a working musician."
After playing a gig one Saturday night - and not getting much sleep the night before - his mom showed up at his house with her new truck.
"She said, 'I'll let you take the truck if you go audition,'" he recalls. (His own vehicle "definitely wouldn't have made the trip. In fact, shortly after that it broke down, so right now I'm truckless.")

Wow. This was unexpected.
As the show narrowed the singers down to the all-important top 12, it got rid of four of the most interesting people on the stage. First was Katelyn Epperly. Sure, the curly-haired fashionista picked a weird song this week ("I Feel the Earth Move"), but she can definitely sing and she's not boring. Gone.
Next to leave: Todrick Hall of Arlington. Yes, he's had a few questionable weeks, but he came back in a big way (I thought) with a spirited version of Queen's "Somebody To Love." And say what you will about him, but he was never boring. Gone.
Also departing: Alex Lambert of North Richland Hills. (That was the biggest shock of the night to me, mainly because the judges were all fully in his corner.) Wait a minute, America! He was going to vastly improve every week! We were going to fall in love with the kid! He has a great voice, adorable dimples, a sweet personality, a fun mullet and is NOT BORING. Gone.
Last but not least: Lilly Scott, the quirky crooner from Colorado. (Also: non-boring.) "It's surprising; a lot of incredible talent is going home tonight," she said. "I don't know what America wants to hear. I don't."
Me neither. Because from my calculations, seven of the remaining 12 could just be cut right now because there's no way they're winning. And many of them, no offense, are a bit dull.

OK, I have a confession. If a singer chooses a song I've never heard of, my mind tends to wander. I don't believe I'm alone in this bad habit, right?
I myself was not familiar with "This Woman's Heart," so when Michael started to sing, I kinda shrugged my shoulders. (I was also recalling an online comment I recently read about him: "Personal trainer my [bleep]." You know you're thinking the same thing. We all are.)
But as he got going with the performance, I was spellbound. It was quite beautiful -- which I suppose is why Kara started crying. (And we thought we got rid of the teary-eyed judge.)
"This was so needed tonight," Simon said. "You 100 percent nailed it. This was not only the best performance of the night, but the best performance we've had in all the live shows so far."
After tonight, one thing is crystal clear: The girls are going to need to step it up.

After two weeks of rather baffling performances, Todrick needed to impress the judges tonight. And he did with a rousing, entertaining version of Queen's "Somebody to Love." Heck, I just enjoyed the fact that he moved around on the stage and even KNEELED at one point. Is that what's missing this season? Greater mobility? Perhaps. (Among other things.)
Despite the fact that the backup singers were distracting on that giant screen behind him, Todrick pulled it off. Randy said it was "one of the best vocals I've heard all night." Simon, labeled him a "Broadway singer" (which is accurate) -- but also noted that at least he wasn't boring.
America: PLEASE keep the not-boring singers in. The show needs every one of 'em they can get right now.

Have we seen Casey in anything other than a blue shirt? (Besides the time he went shirtless, I mean?) Just wonderin'.
The Fort Worth cutie went with Keith Urban's "You'll Think of Me," which is a semi-angry breakup song. I thought he was very convincing; perhaps there were even some tears in his eyes by the end.
The judges all liked it. (None were jumping up and down.) But if anyone cares, Kara proclaimed herself to be "kinda back on the Casey train."

Who could have predicted this? Two weeks ago, Simon basically told him to pack up and leave (again, as he wasn't originally supposed to be in the top 24), as he was horrific. Now, with a version of "Hallelujah" that was at least as haunting as Jason Castro's rendition a couple of seasons ago, Tim won the judges' hearts. (For this week, anyway.) Ellen ran over and gave him a hug, Kara called the performance "honest and interpretive" and Simon said he was "very, very smart with this song. It was by far the strongest performance you've given in the competition."
So hooray for our local boys. So far!

Still rockin' the mullet. Maybe he'll start a fashion trend!
Our North Richland Hills teen is basically doing everything right. Singing "Trouble" by Ray Lamontagne, his voice and charisma were in fine form.
"You're being a mushy banana is what's happening to you," Ellen said, rephrasing her earlier analogy that he was like unripe version of the fruit. "You can see how sweet and vulnerable and honest and real you are -- and don't ever lose that. You need more confidence, but don't get cocky. Don't become a cocky banana."
I think Ellen nailed it with that take on Alex. (Although at this point we can probably lose the banana references.)
Kara then told him, "The only thing standing in the way of you winning is you right now."
So it seems one of our local underdogs is quickly trotting toward the front of the pack.

At the halfway point in the show, I have to say that I'm heartened that tonight's episode is actually entertaining. (As opposed to last night, which featured the girls. No offense.)
First up was Lee Dewyze, who sang that love-it-or-hate-it "Fireflies." While the original is floaty and sweet, Lee put a rocker's edge on it, and it worked. (I thought.)
The judges all agreed, although Simon said he didn't "have a moment" with the song. Still, the fact that he's cute, likable, talented and eager to learn from the judges' criticism should score him points. And votes.

Was anybody else wishing for something a bit more caffeinated in terms of song choice? It was one slow, somber tune after the other. But there was one bright moment: Crystal Bowersox, who showed off her star power once again with "Give Me One Reason." I don't think she really has much competition on the ladies' side of the stage. Lilly Scott? Maybe, but I agreed with Simon that her take on "I Fall To Pieces" failed to wow.
Easy bets for going home this week: Paige Miles and Katie Stevens. But others are vulnerable; the way I see it, all are vulnerable except Ms. Bowersox.
(I do worry that she sat down on the amp after her performance. Just taking a load off, or is she still a bit sick this week? If so, Idol needs to get that woman well. Stat.)

As the girls take the stage tonight, some of them don't seem to be trying all that hard. Katie Stevens took Kelly Clarkson's "Breakaway" and made it sound like a funeral dirge, while Kateylyn Epperly (as Randy said) put nothing special into "I Feel the Earth Move." In other words, the earth stayed still.
"It kind of felt like request night on a Friday night at a restaurant where you work," Simon told her. Not really want you want to hear just before America makes its final picks for the Top 12.

...are Jermaine Sellers, Michelle Delamor and Haeley Vaughn. As Ryan had Haeley and Lacey Brown to walk to center stage to hear their fate, Simon was asked if one of them deserved another chance.
"Yes," he said. "But it's very obvious who's going to go home tonight. To everyone watching."
Huh? It wasn't obvious to this here person watching. I have no idea which girl he was referring to with that. Any guesses?
After a montage of happier times for each of the failed four, Haeley had to sing. It was not her finest moment. I'm not sure if she hit one correct note in that rendition of "The Climb," actually. It reminded me of watching a figure skater mess up from the first jump; oftentimes, it's all downhill from there.
That's not to say that I didn't feel for Haeley (as did all of her crying cohorts). She's definitely likable; when Ryan asked her what she was going to do when she got back to school, she paused and replied, "Um...learn?"

The first person leaving us tonight is John Park. No big surprise there, right? He hasn't made much of an impact yet, and it's probably high time to be doing so.
His ouster meant that local guys Casey James, Todrick Hall and Tim Urban will be sticking around. Cross your fingers for Alex Lambert, who will hear his fate later; if he gets through, four of the top eight guys will be from right here. That would be a first for any metropolitan area, people! Get excited!

It seems clear now that there are three standout women in this year's contest -- and they're all very quirky. Or "strange," as Simon put it about Siobhan Magnus, the glassblowing apprentice.
She closed the show with Aretha's "Think," and while it seemed wobbly at first, she made up for it all with a through-the-rafters note toward the end. Simon seems particularly amused by this girl, which is fun.
Then there's Lilly Scott, who rivals Crystal Bowersox with her folksy/granola vibe. But lucky for us, they're both incredibly talented. Lilly's version of "A Change is Gonna Come" was just flat-out entertaining -- which can't be said about more than half of the performances tonight.
So my prediction is that the top three girls will be Siobhan, Crystal and Lilly (not necessarily in that order). Sure, the big-voiced Paige Miles still has a shot, as does Katelyn Epperly. (Although Simon pretty much accused her of ripping off Natasha Bedingfield's version of that Coldplay tune tonight. That was interesting. We at home love tense moments on live television.)
But my money's on the atypical trio.

So after a super-strong start by Crystal, things have been flying downhill. I thought Amarillo's Lacey Brown did a great job with "Kiss Me" (and aren't her eyes the prettiest you've ever seen), but the judges just pooh-poohed it.
They continued riding the Disappointment Train for Katie Stevens, who went with "Put Your Records On." Simon told her that if she were coming into his record label, he'd advise her to get some experience, "and tell me what kind of artist you want to be." Which, to me, means she's not quite ready for this show. But I can be proven wrong.
Next up: Didi Benami, who sang a spirited version of "Lean On Me." I rather liked it. The judges rather hated it.
Again, this little contest is Crystal Bowersox's to lose. So far.

The perky teen went with perky teen Miley Cyrus' hit, "The Climb." It was, as Randy put it, excrutiating.
"You need about a year of really strengthening your instrument," Kara said. Seems like sound advice to a layperson such as myself.
After Simon said he didn't want to add insult to injury, he did just that. "There's a certain irony of you singing a song about climbing, when you actually fell off," he said.
Fell off what? The show? I guess that's what he was saying. But perhaps it wasn't necessary; we're all aware of how that performance sounded to our ears.

It appears that after Week One, in which the judges took turns in their speaking order, Simon is now going to be the last person to talk at all times. Good. All is right with the world, I say. (But you have to wonder if that ruffled a few other folks' feathers, because they were mixing things up for a reason, I'm assuming.)
Also: I noticed last night that when Ryan introduced Randy, Ellen smiled and clapped for the dawg. When Simon was introduced? Hands folded. Slight smile. I'm not saying this is evidence that they don't get along, but we people at home notice these things. All I'm sayin'.

Luckily, Crystal Bowersox has bounced back from her illness enough to perform tonight. What illness was that, exactly? Nobody's saying. Crystal just said she's a "tough cookie," while Ellen noted, "I was so scared for you." (Yikes! That just makes us want to be in on the secret even more, but OK, fine.)
Anyway, I guess we can just all be happy she's around, because her performance tonight was brilliant. Who else got chills? Simon may have, because he told her that "this was like the moment we realized with Kelly Clarkson that we've got a serious artist here. And I think we've got a really serious artist with you."
High praise, and well-deserved. I'd say she's officially the one to beat now.

Andrew Garcia, Aaron Kelly and Jermaine Sellers all sort of fell into the same trap. It's called Boring. (No offense, because I love Andrew in particular. Not tonight, though.)
Closing out the show was Lee Dewyze. During his montage, he talked about being placed in an alternative high school. But thanks to a supportive teacher and a better attitude, he pulled through.
"I'm a nice guy; I always was a nice guy," he said. "I just made bad decisions."
This week, he ditched the guitar for a half-nervous/half-believable rendition of "Lips of An Angel." I'm still on the fence with this guy (he reminds me of David Cook, only not as talented), but Simon proclaimed him to be "head and shoulders above everybody else on this side of the competition." I think that might be debated on various blogs tomorrow, but OK.

The Duncanville resident jokingly called last week's horrendous performance (and subsequent lashing by Simon) "a great confidence booster." This week, he went back to his original style with "Come On Get Higher." Was it stupendous? No. But it was 100 times better than last go-round.
While the first three judges still dissed him for various things (Ellen suggested he pursue an acting career instead), Simon had only good things to say.
"You really listened to the criticism," he said. "I'm really impressed not just with your performance tonight, but by your attitude and your work ethic. You didn't whine, you got on with it. So congratulations; you did great."
That should keep him safe for another week. Maybe.

In another attempt to make a popular song his own, Todrick chose Tina Turner's "What's Love Got To Do With It." But unlike last week, he kept the basic melody, which was nice. I personally enjoyed the whole thing. (Except for the backup singers, who were distracting.)
The judges, on the other hand, despised it all.
"What happened to Todrick, with his unique spin on stuff that was not crazy all over the place?" Kara asked.
Simon, who called him "Tondrick" tonight, suggested he go back to dancing instead of singing "because this is not working out at all for you." Then Mr. Cowell threw the "theme park" barb out, which always hurts. Oh, and there was this: "You're getting this completely and utterly wrong."
Will Todrick be the first of our locals to hit the road? I say no. I believe that we at home were entertained by him, which can't be said of all of the guys tonight. He has a fan base; he'll get through.

The North Richland Hills teen is in a very good position at this point in the show. Not only is he a great singer, he's somoene the judges want to take under their wings. Simon even said he wished he could pick out Alex's songs for him. Wow.
But Alex is also "possibly our most nervous contestant," as Ryan pointed out. Last week those nerves were on full display, but tonight, all was under control. Sitting on a stool with his guitar and singing "Everybody Knows," he came across as very talented and oh-so-cute to teenage girls everywhere. (Despite the mullet. And that's difficult to pull off.)
Ellen, who'd compared him to an unripe banana last week, believes that banana has been placed in a paper bag. (Meaning it's now fully ripe.)
"Underneath that mullet is a little Sam Cooke voice," she added. "Out of everybody here, you have the most unique style. I like it."
Kara said he has "an incredible recording voice. People would kill to have that tone." As for Simon, he advised Alex to develop a "killer instinct" so he can fight to win this thing.
See? They absolutely adore him. As do lots of other folks, I'm assuming.

I love that our locals are so darned likable. Casey, the 27-year-old from Fort Worth, said in his montage that he a) has never watched American Idol; b) hasn't had a TV for most of his life (a lightning storm blew out their set when he was 7 and they never got around to replacing it); c) bought and restored his house ("It's a tiny little house, but it's home so I love it"); and d) has a mysterious pre-show ritual that involves something hidden in a small box.
As for his performance, he went with "I Don't Want To Be," which we longtime Idol watchers are sick of at this point. But hey, we've never seen someone wail away on an electric guitar whilst singing! So that was fun. It seemed to me like a complete performance rather than a simple singing audition.
Randy loved it, Ellen noted a "stiffness" about him (I'd agree with that), Kara felt he took two steps backward and Simon agreed with Kara.
"You've turned into somebody who can be seen in any bar in America -- somebody trying to be a rock star," he said.
No worries. I predict fans at home were impressed enough to vote a'plenty.

Poor guy can't seem to get a break. During his montage, he mentioned his band, Purple Haze, and how they're missing him as the lead singer.
Oh, and about last week: "Standing up there while the judges rip on you? That was something else."
Hopefully he was ready for more. After a sleepy rendition of John Mayer's "Gravity," the panel all agreed that it wasn't terrific. But Simon was the only one who really lashed out.
"I think Purple Haze may get their lead singer back this week," he said, calling it a "so-what performance." Ouch. (But true.)

At the start of the show, Ryan reported that Crystal Bowersox was taken to the hospital "and under doctor's orders will not be able to perform tonight." Apparently, she will bounce back completely by tomorrow. Which makes one wonder what her mysterious ailment could be.
So the guys might be at a disadvantage; they learned at 10 a.m. today that they'd be performing tonight. First up: Michael Lynche, who performed James Brown's "It's a Man's World" with bravado. I thougth it was a little boring, but the judges were giddy. Simon said the performance "was like going from a pussycat to a lion in one week." I suppose.

Well, it was a close call for Duncanville's Tim Urban and North Richland Hills' Alex Lambert, but they squeaked by this week. This means our area can claim a whopping four of the 10 remaining men. That has to be a record for any metropolitan region. In fact, I'm going to go ahead and declare that it is a record.
Going home on the men's side of the stage were Joe Munoz and Tyler Grady. Tyler didn't take the news so well.
"I like all the judges and really had a great time with them," he said, "but I feel like I didn't get much constructive criticism during Hollywood Week. And I feel like what they told me was a little bit too late."
So it was the judges' fault. Got it.
Also leaving us were Ashley Rodriguez (who seemed a bit mad about the whole thing but at least opted not to throw folks under the bus) and Janell Wheeler. Janell said nice things such as, "I'm so grateful to be here among such great talent."
I'd say that's the way one should exit this show.

She still has that Kelly Clarkson vibe about her, doesn't she? Never a bad thing. Anyway, it's weird to compare her to this season's girls, because so far none of them have proven to have those powerful pipes. But it's still early!

We shall soon be saying goodbye to four of the top 24. And judging by this week's performances, we are not going to miss them much. (No offense.)
But first, the gang got together for a group singalong to "American Boy.". The best moment? John Park, Michael Lynche and Tim Urban were standing behind the judges, trying to act like they were all into the song, while Ellen bopped her head, Randy pointed backward at them, Kara smiled eagerly -- and Simon looked like he might bolt at any second. Methinks he's not going to miss group-performance moments when he's gone.

"I was looking forward to hearing you more than anyone else tonight," Simon said. Him and many millions of viewers. (Including myself.)
But his performance tonight was rather dull. All the judges could talk about was his creative rendition of Paula Abdul's "Straight Up." Sadly, he can't go with that week after week. People would notice.

Finally. We have a potential finalist, and he just so happens to be from Fort Worth.
The oh-so-cute Casey James sat on a stool, strummed his guitar and totally knocked Bryan Adams' "Heaven" out of the park.
After the judges stopped teasing Kara for her alleged crush on Casey, Kara got serious. (Kinda.) "You're eye candy, but you're also ear candy," she said.
Simon, noting that "we were both cursed with good looks," said Casey chose the right song, "and you came across very honest, very sincere. It was the best performance I've heard from you since you've been in the competition, so you did great."
Judges' commentary can't get any better than that, I don't think.

OK, so he's the adorable one. Our North Richland Hills resident sang "Wonderful World," during which time he was clearly nervous. (Clearly.)
"I don't know who was happier for that to end, you or me," Simon said. "It was the most uncomfortable performance of the night."
That being said, he noted that Alex has a good voice. "But if you can't get your nerves together on a night like this, this is never gonna work for you."
"Yes, sir," Alex said.
"You don't have to call me sir," Simon retorted. (Yes, he does. He's a good Texas boy who was apparently raised right.)
Luckily, things soon turned in Alex's favor among the judges. They were all in agreement that they really like him.
"I like that you're holding onto the mullet and you're not gonna let it go," Ellen said. (Awesome.) She then compared him to fruit. "Sometimes a banana is not quite ripe, and you're like, 'Ooh, I wish it was riper because I'd like to eat that banana right now.' It's just not ripe enough."
She told him he just needs confidence, because "you have all of it. It's all right there."
Ryan asked Alex how many times he's performed in front of a crowed. "Like three times at coffee shops and stuff with audiences of like 20 people," he admitted. "This is crazy!"
He'll get through to next week. Like Lee, people are just going to flat-out want to root for him.

Big Mike went with Maroon 5's "Big Love." Why? I have no clue. It was flat-out the wrong way to go.
Ellen, however, felt it was a great song choice. But Simon was less thrilled: "You were like the support act before the main act. You delivered so little on that performance."
This is getting depressing. I mean, somebody's going to have to win this contest, right? Can we get some potential going?

Before he took the stage, John reminisced about Shania Twain's flirtatious comments about him at his first audition.
"It was one of my proudest moments of my life," he said. "She's the most beautiful woman I've seen in person, no lie. If she would marry me, I would propose to her."
He then sang a version of "God Bless The Child" that I thought was very nice, but the judges poo-pooed all over those good vibes. They hated it. Simon accused him of having "zero emotion," while Kara used the dreaded I word. ("Indulgent.")
Huh. I'm confused on this one.

OK, so this guy is the adorable one, in my opinion. I didn't completely love his version of "Chasing Cars" (not caring for the trend of making songs so different that we at home can't sing along), but I like him. And I agree with the judges that he's very David Cook 2.0.
Simon also liked him, calling this "the best performance tonight by a mile." Ryan then asked Lee what it felt like to be on that stage.
"It feels like I don't ever want to lose this feeling," he said.
Lee's not going anywhere. Talent plus likability equals possible Kris Allen-esque success.

I had high hopes for the '70s rocker guy, especially once he started belting out "American Woman." (He'd started out really slow, repeating the phrase, "American woman, gonna mess with your mind." How many other people feared he was going to do a Todrick and change the song completely?)
Even though I thought it worked in places, I began to lose interest halfway through. Simon nailed down the problem: "My issue is that you come over a lot as somebody who's gone to Pretend To Be a Rock Star School."
Kara suggested that he's playing too true to the '70s "rather than playing with it" and making it more current. That makes sense.
The good news: He was memorable enough to get some votes. Can't say the same for Joe Munoz, sadly.

Wow, that was brutal. The whole thing was, from the singing to the critiquing to the condescending "you're adorable" comments.
Tim went with "Apologize" by One Republic -- despite the fact that he could not ever, ever hit those high notes. That became clear after the first attempt.
As Simon began his review, he congratulated Tim on coming back to the show; he'd originally not made the top 24, but after Chris Golightly was booted, Tim got the call to return.
"Having said that," Simon said, "we absolutely made the right decision by not putting you through, based on that performance. There was nothing, nothing to take from that. The vocals were weak, the version was weak, you didn't come over as a natural performer. And the truth is, I just don't think your voice is good enough. I don't."
OUCH. Tim had tears in his eyes -- heck, I almost had tears in my eyes for him. Because that was way harsh.
Kara said some other negative things, as did Randy. Ellen pointed out that he couldn't hit the high notes, so in the future he'll need to step it up "and not just count on the fact that you're adorable, because you're adorable."
Tim looked like he wanted to curl up in a ball. Like an adorable, scolded puppy dog.

Sixteen-year-old Aaron went with "Here Comes Goodbye" by Rascal Flatts. It was fine -- but what made it special was that it garnered Simon's first mostly-positive review of the week.
"Bearing in mind it was your first live show, it was quite a good performance," he said.
Based on what he's been saying to everybody else, this was stupdendous news.
Oh, but poor Jermaine Sellers. After he wailed through the dreary ballad "Get Here," Mr. Cowell was not kind.
"I think you've totally blown your opportunity with that, if you want my honest opinion," he said. Then Ellen protested, and Simon smirked. Ryan asked what was up with that look. "It means I don't agree," he said.
Methinks rumors that these two don't get along may have a teensy shred of truth to them.

For my 1,000 post, let's all imagine doing a back flip with the greatest of ease, a la Todrick Hall. Whee! That was fun.
OK, back to business. Todrick decided to sing Kelly Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone." Well, he decided to talk the first part. And then he decided to change the rest of it so completely that it was unrecognizable. Was it bad? I didn't think so. But I agree with Randy that the Clarkson version was a hit for a reason. No need to just toss it out the window and start over.
"I think you came over as a dancer trying to sing rather than a singer who can also dance," Simon said. "You completely murdered the original song. That was verging on stupid, what you just did."
Todrick was given a chance to respond. "I questioned it myself: Is this changing it a little too much?" he told Ryan. Good answer. Humility is always nice to see in these kids.
Despite the fact that he went first (which is often forgettable) and it wasn't great, I predict that our first local guy of the night will be sticking around. He already has a big enough fan base to pull him through. I think.

So I appear to be having a few technical difficulties tonight; it's hard to blog when one can't access the blogging machine. But here we are, finally! (By the way, the temperamental blogging machine just informed me that this is my 999th entry. Party over at the next post!)
As the show got underway, Simon set the mood.
"I watched some of the rehearsals earlier and saw an awful lot of nerves," he said. "If you lose it tonight or forget the words, your career is over."
"Yikes!" Kara said as her eyes got all buggy.
I'd be so scared to be one of those 12 singers right now.

I think it's becoming pretty clear which of these women have potential and which do not. Among those with staying power: the final three to perform.
Glassblowing apprentice Siobhan Magnus is certainly quirky, but not the kind of quirkly we got last year. (You remember. Bird imitations.) She's quirky in a bookish way, and I enjoy that about her.
Her rendition of "Wicked Game" was probably enough to keep her in for another week, at least. Simon called the choice of song "very very dark," but added, "It might be because you're a very dark person, I don't know. I mean, you're blowing glass all day on your own. That would make a person dark, I guess."
They can never replace this man on the show. I'm sorry.
Next up: Crystal Bowersox, who should always perform with a harmonica because that's why we love her so. (Anybody else think her teeth got a shade whiter? I believe they did.)
After she finished a pretty safe version of "Hand In My Pocket," Simon (again) laid it all out there. The man was in fine form tonight.
"We like you, we love your little baby, we like your story," he said. "But the truth is, there are thousands of you doing this outside subway stations every day. If I met you in real life and heard that, I wouldn't stop in my tracks and go, 'You're the most original artist I've ever heard.'" But then he suggested she try David Bowie or something next time, and she rather liked that idea, so it was all good.
Last up was 17-year-old Katie Stevens. Again, I had high hopes that this would be the one that would knock it out of the park tonight -- and again, I was disappointed.
"It's like your mum and dad dressed you and gave you the song for this audition," Simon said of her choice to sing "Feelin' Good." "So it had started to become annoying."
All we want as fans (to paraphrase Aerosmith) is someone we can't resist. Didn't get that tonight.

Michelle performed a competent yet lackluster rendition of Alicia Keys' "Fallin'." Didi -- sporting a crocheted vest, of all things! -- sang the sleepy song "The Way I Am." Sleepily.
"Here's my problem tonight," Simon said. "There are too many people trying to sound like the same person, which is Adelle or Duffy. What I'm missing is a spark here -- you know, something which excites me." (Or, if we want to be grammatically correct, something "that" excites him.)
I wholeheartedly agree. And if the girls are supposed to be SO much better than the guys this year, we're in trouble.

Hailing from Amarillo, she's the closest we have to a local girl. So it would be nice of us to root for her.
Unfortunately, her performance of Fleetwood Mac's "Landslide" was downright boring. Randy called it "terrible," Ellen said she's better than that, and Simon held nothing back.
"I thought it was quite depressing, to be honest," he said. (True. No offense.) "About 15 seconds in, I was working out how much we've got to listen to this. But worse than that, it was kind of indulgent."
So there's her Idol kiss of death right there. Unfortunately.

Lilly Scott (the lavender-haired one) went with "Fixing a Hole." Wow. That's a new one for this show. While I thought it was pretty good, it really just made me want to hear the original.
Next up: curly-haired Katelyn Epperly, who reminds me of a young Carrie Underwood. Her rendition of "Oh! Darling" wasn't great for Simon; he called it "very messy. But I actually like you. I thought that was brave. You're gonna need an awful lot of work, but yeah, I like you a lot." (Me too. She's one of my favorite girls this year.)
Then things got weird. After Kara said, "I don't think the makeover is helping you," Ryan asked Katelyn what her "word bubble" might have been following Kara's critique.
"I think I know what her word bubble was," said Kara. Who then uttered the B-word.
What the heck. That was a very Paula-esque moment, wasn't it?
After the break, Haeley Vaughn tackled "I Wanna Hold Your Hand."
"She looks sparkly," my daughter said. I personally enjoyed most of it, but by the end she'd begun to grate on my last nerve.
Afterward, the striking difference between Ellen as a judge and Simon as a judge was laid bare. Ellen wrapped up her comments with, "As someone who just likes music, I enjoyed it."
Simon's turn: "If I'm being honest with you, I thought it was verging on terrible. You were like a windup doll that never stopped smiling throughout the song."
And you know what? She WAS like a windup doll. Thank you, Simon. We miss you already.

i think nerves are getting to our ladies. (Not that I blame them; I'd get out there and start shaking uncontrollably. Paramedics would be alerted.)
Paige Miles didn't do much for me, as did(n't) Ashley Rodriguez. I had high hopes for Janell Wheeler, based on the start of her song.
But then Simon summed it up better than anyone else could: "It started off OK, but then when you got excited and thought it was going well for you -- it wasn't going that well -- you started to go off-key."
Still, he predicted that she won't be one of the two girls going home this week. Seeing how it's still early in this episode, I'm wondering if that was an indirect diss of the first two singers.

During a conference call with reporters last week, he specifically said that he'd continue in his leadership role -- and that his comments would always go last. So tonight, when he was told he was up first, it made sense that he looked startled.
"Is it me?" he asked. "I'm going first?" Um, awkward.
Let the man talk last, I say. (Don't make it all fair and take turns.) I mean, doesn't he deserve that honor at this point? To answer my own question, yes.

It's still a bit surreal to see Ellen Degeneres sitting at the judges' table, isn't it? And tonight's the first time I felt the absence of one Paula Abdul. (Not that I'm torn up with grief or anything.)
As for Ellen, it's clear what she will bring to this season's live shows: much-needed laughter. The clip of a handsy Simon not being able to control himself around her was cute. And different enough to give this show a breath of fresh air.

Sigh. We miss him already.
In a conference call with reporters on Thursday, Simon Cowell was witty, playfully boastful, smart and - contrary to what you might think - very nice to all of us on the line. The number-one topic of discussion: Who could replace him on the show?
Most of the nation seems to think that no one is up to the job. Asked how that feels, Simon laughed. "It's very, very flattering and I really do appreciate it," he said, "but like I said before, the show goes on. And I'm going to feel sad about it when it all ends. But yes, it's much nicer to be popular than unpopular."
Read on for his predictions about this season, the Howard Stern rumor and his feelings toward one Paula Abdul. (Among other topics.)

One of the Dallas area's four American Idol semifinalists squeaked into the elite group when another singer was declared ineligible to continue, The Associated Press reports.

Tim Urban, a 20-year-old college student from Duncanville, replaced Chris Golightly in the top 24 this week, officials from the Fox TV show said.

Here's more from the AP story:

Fox didn't elaborate on why Golightly was dropped, but a person close to the show said he failed to disclose that he'd had a music contract. All contestants are asked about that because singers with current deals are barred from competing.

Golightly, a 25-year-old shoe salesman from Los Angeles, couldn't immediately be reached for comment.

The change was apparent to viewers, since the curly-haired Golightly was seen among the 24 semifinalists on stage toward the end of Wednesday's episode but was not in a shot of the 12 male singers who are advancing, which included Urban.

Also: Source: 'Idol' semifinalist bumped over 'veracity'

As each of the finalists was given the good news, it was interesting to see how they interacted -- or didn't -- with the judges. I think their first inclination was to give Ellen and Simon and the gang a hug, but some didn't even attempt it out of fear or respect or being too starstruck.
Others made a move toward them but then flinched, as if hit by an invisible celebrity forcefield. "Can I hug you?" they timidly asked. Sure, come on over.
The most confident of the bunch sprang right up and went for the warm embrace. But only one -- Big Mike Lynche -- dared to pick them up off their feet. Which may have crossed the line just a teeny bit.

Of the American Idol Top 24, a whopping four come from our neck of the woods. That's kind of incredible.
But poor Tim Urban of Duncanville received very little love on this episode. Everybody else at least got a definitive name shout-out by Ryan, but Tim was only shown hugging people with joy. Like, for a split-second.
So I didn't even realize he'd made it through until the end, when the 24 are forced to dance in dorky fashion. So good for Tim, and good for Alex Lambert of North Richland Hills. They join Arlington's Todrick Hall and Fort Worth's Casey James for next Wednesday's live show. (The girls -- none of whom we can claim -- take the stage Tuesday.)
Your remaining 24 are as follows:
- Lilly Scott of Denver, who sports either lavender hair or gray, depending on the angle;
- Paige Miles;
- Siobhan Magnus;
- Michelle Delamor;
- Jermaine Sellers (my son's pick to win it);
- John Park;
- Haeley Vaughn; and
- Andrew Garcia (my pick to win it, at least for now).
Along with all of the merriment, there was plenty of sadness in this episode. Angela Martin, the single mom with the disabled daughter who has tried out three times, seemed to me like a sure thing when she walked up to the judges' stage. Especially after Kara asked to cozy up to her on her chair (forcing Angela to sit on the arm of it. Nice). So of course she made it, right? They love her! No -- it was the end of the road. That all seemed a bit cruel.
Then we have Thaddeus Johnson of Oklahoma. The final spot was going to either him or Andrew Garcia, so most of us fans at home assumed it would be bad news for Thaddeus. It was and he sobbed. I mean, from the gut.
"I did everything I could," he said through the tears. "They said there was nothing wrong with me."
That, friends, has got to hurt.

The first eight singers getting the great news tonight include:
- Orlando resident Janell Wheeler (who's rumored to be dating NFL star Tim Tebow);
- Tyler Grady, who looks, sounds and moves like he's a time-traveler from 1974 (which is AWESOME, in my opinion - Idol has never had anyone quite like him before);
- Lacey Brown, who got as far at the top 50 last season;
- Ashley Rodriguez (whom they've said little about since her first audition);
- North Richland Hills dude Alex Lambert (that makes three for the DFW area -- a record, perhaps?);
- Joe Munoz (sorry, I know nothing about him);
- Crystal "Mama Sox" Bowersox, who is destined to go far on this little show; and
- Katie Stevens, whose grandmother has Alzheimer's. "To be in the top 24 and for her being able to see me succeed -- that's just what I want," she said.
How could you not be happy for Katie. Or for any of these seemingly sweet people, actually.

We'll get the remaining 17 tomorrow night. But for now, here's who the judges deemed worthy of further fame:
- Personal trainer and new dad Michael "Big Mike" Lynche;
- Waitress Didi Benami, who has a very Brooke-White vibe about her;
- Curly-haired blonde Katelyn Epperly, the best-dressed of the evening (purple knee-highs! jaunty hat! most adorable red-belted dress in all the land!);
- Fort Worth's ultra-hunky Casey James, proving he's more than just shirtless eye candy for Kara. (We learned tonight that he's originally from Cool, Texas. I had to Google this place just to verify that it was real.);
- Florida's Aaron Kelly, giving inspiration to anyone who's endured a dysfunctional childhood like this cute teen has;
- Lee Dewyze, accused of lacking confidence but squeaking by nonetheless (and looking like he might just pass out at the news); and
- Todrick Hall of Arlington. The previews made it seem like the ultra-confident performer would be cut, but they were just teasing. He's so in.
Any surprises or disappointments so far from you fine people out there? I would've liked to have seen Shelby Dressel move on; her rendition of "More Than a Feeling" gave me chills. But what can I do about it. Nothing.

Room Two is heading home. That means we've lost locals Hope Johnson and Lloyd Thomas (along with bossy Mary Powers and the Tennessee cop), but what can you do. This "surprise" was a no-brainer.

This group includes Dallas dockworker Lloyd Thomas and Arlington's Hope Johnson. Judging from the footage they've shown us, all hopefuls sitting on that stark floor should be worried. (But the producers could just be messin' with us. It happens.)

The California worship pastor's version of Coldplay's "Nobody Said it Was Easy" was beautifully hauting. Meanwhile, there's Mary Powers. Confident, in-your-face, rocker-chick Mary Powers.
"I'm not intimidated by the competition," she said. Oh, Lord. Famous last words.

The judges accused Alex, our North Richland Hills teen, of having little personality onstage. Sadly I'd have to agree, based on his cute yet semi-lackluster rendition of Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours."
Todrick, meanwhile, had plus-sized personality with his take on the same song. Might he have been too over the top with the riffs? I say no. But riffs, as Idol history tells us, can go either way.

"Anxious hopefuls wait in a series of stark rooms," Ryan tells us. Who writes this stuff? Why must the rooms be "stark"? (They don't look stark to me. "Stark" implies concrete floors, no chairs, maybe a single lightbulb hanging from the ceiling.)
For his solo, Fort Worth's Casey James chose to sing "Bubbly" by Colbie Caillat -- risky choice for a dude. I personally like it.
Also to my liking: Glassblowing apprentice Siobhan Magnus, who belted out Stevie Wonder's "Living For the City" with refreshing power.
Oh, but wait! Next is Crystal Bowersox, who played both the harmonica and guitar during "If It Makes You Happy" and gave me chills. Yes, a couple of notes were wobbly. I say she made up for it, though.

Tonight, from what I can gather, half of the top 24 will be announced. What I don't understand is how they're going to strech this episode out for two hours, because at 3 minutes in, they've already separated the singers into three groups. But I'm sure they know what they're doing. No need for questioning.

As Jake and his remaining three ladies settle in on St. Lucia, he recaps why he likes each of them. My theory about the controversial Vienna: Jake likes her because he was a total wimp on that bungee-jump bridge and she didn't make him look like a fool. She got him through the ordeal. That, friends, goes a long way. Every other woman on the show can say she's awful, she drowns kittens, her head spins 360 degrees, etc., but it does not matter. She hugged him when he most needed a hug.
On to Ali. After choosing her job over Jake last week, of COURSE she's now having second thoughts. My daughter (before being asked to leave the room, as this show is kinda R-rated) asked, "Oh, does she want to come back to the competition?"
Yes, she does want to do just that. Which is ridiculous. Last week some random singer decided to evict herself from American Idol because she couldn't stand the pressure; what do you think would happen if she called up Simon and tearfully begged to return? Nothing good, that's what.
But you know Ali is already in St. Lucia as this is being filmed.

While there are still 70-something singers in the running, I'm liking our chances of some DFW representation in the top 24. Making it through to next week:
- Todrick Hall (everybody knows him by now);
- Fort Worth's Casey James, the hunky blonde;
- Duncanville's Tim Urban, who hasn't sung much on camera yet but must have something the judges like;
- Alex Lambert of North Richland Hills -- despite the fact that he totally blew it during his group number; and
- Lloyd Thomas of Dallas, whom we haven't seen sing since his first audition. I love Lloyd and his cute personality. As tears rolled down his cheeks tonight, he said that "the journey up to this day has been more living than I've done in all my years."
Cut next to Casey James: "I think with anybody that gets a chance to change their lives, there are no words or feelings that can describe it."

Todrick wowed the crowd with both his vocal stylings and back-flipping abilities. He's through to the next round. (As is the rest of his group, despite Ellen calling the whole thing weird and surreal.
As for Todrick, I predict he's Top 10 material. Not that this is such an outlandish prediction or anything.

This group includes Big Mike, Duncanville's Tim Urban, Rockwall's Michael Castro and Seth Rollins, who has an autistic son. Sadly, Seth and Castro didn't make the cut. We could all pretty much predict that, seeing how he's gotten zero airtime this season. Sigh.
But hooray for Tim Urban -- who also had no airtime before now.

Arlington's Todrick Hall is part of a quartet ("Destiny's Wild") planning to perform a Lady Gaga number. Nearby, a group that calls itself Neopolitan includes two other Dallas auditioners, Paige Mills and Thaddeus Johnson. (Guessing on spellings, since I don't think we've ever seen these two before)
Needless to say, there is intense competition between these two. So far, Todrick's gang seems to be the most put-together.
Bossy rocker mom Mary, in fact, is so envious of Destiny's Wild that she breaks down in sobs. She's part of the group that includes locals Hope Johnson and Alex Lambert. I think they call themselves The Dreamers, but this collaboration is shaping up to be nightmarish.

You can place me in the camp that thinks it's ridiculous that this guy is MISSING THE BIRTH OF HIS SON because he'd rather be on a TV show. Yesterday I was on the fence about it -- after all, this might be his big break. But then my kids put things into perspective.
11-year-old son: "'Honey, do you want to your new son on your phone? He's fresh and new!' 'No! Can't you see I'm living the dream?'"
10-year-old daughter: "Here's a picture of me being born.' 'Where's your dad? Did he die?' 'No, he was at American Idol.'"
Further commentary from them TK. I hope.

Why do we do this group exercise, I wonder? It really makes no sense, except to add to the drama. Or, as my son put it, "Group night is the worst. It just makes them all hate each other."
Anyway, it is pretty good television. Right off the bat tonight, we saw North Richland Hills' Alex Lambert get a bit peeved at Arlington's Hope Johnson, who (along with another girl) horned in on his trio.
"Pretty much they kind of forced their way into the group," Alex said. So now it's him and four girls. That seems risky.

Personal faves, based on tonight's show:
- The aforementioned Andrew Garcia, who was probably the best of them all;
- Husky personal trainer and Michael Lynche of Astoria, N.Y.;
- Tim Urban of Duncanville -- who got no airtime before now, but showed stage presence and strong talent with his David Cook-inspired audition;
- Fort Worth's Casey James (you know, the guy who took his shirt off). Who knew he could sing and play the blues so convincingly?
- Knoxville waitress Didi Benami, whose cover of a Kara DioGuardi song was simply beautiful to listen to;
- High-schooler Haeley Vaughn of Colorado, who sang (and played guitar) to Taylor Swift's "Change." Yes, there were a few wobbly notes, but she hit a high one that gave me chills. Plus, she's just so darned likable. It helps.

If you didn't blink, you learned the fate (thus far) of a few other locals. It seems that Michael Castro, Lloyd Thomas, Hope Johnson and Todrick Hall are all moving on to the group round. What about Denton teacher Kimberly Carver, among others? We'll either see them again or they've already fallen off the face of the Idol universe. Time will tell.

The 20-year-old cosmetologist from Richardson failed to impress in Hollywood; Kara said her audition was all over the place. Well, there's always next year! Maybe.

The tattooed dad from California who wants to give his kids an escape from gang life decided to sing Paula Abdul's "Straight Up." And it was the best that song has ever sounded, thanks to his laid-back arrangement and guitar accompaniment.
"Andrew, that was genius," Kara said. "Paula would be screaming and yelling and clapping and dancing."
Things could still go wrong for Andrew, but I'm betting he's just won a spot in the top 24.
Not the case for Vanessa Wolfe, the extremely country girl from Vonore, Tenn. Unfortunately, she sounded terrible in Hollywood. Ellen urged her to embrace her unique quality and calm herself down, "because those nerves are gonna kill you."
As she packed up and headed home, she said, "This was a ticket to get out of Vonore. I took a risk, and it didn't pay off."
She also apologized to her mom for blowing it. Yikes! Poor girl.

So we've finally entered Phase Two of the season, where 181 singers will compete for 24 high-pressure positions. (But they've already been whittled down from 100,000 hopefuls, so hey. Kudos.)
Equally exciting: Ellen Degeneres. I feel like we've been waiting for her Idol debut for five years now.
"So this is it, huh?" she asked Simon as they took their seats at the judging table. "I come on, and you leave."

The show saved two hard-luck teens for the end. Aaron, whose aunt and uncle adopted him after his biological parents couldn't do the job, auditioned with "The Climb." An appropriate choice. He was chock-full of adorable innocence, which should make him a hit with young-girl voters.
Then we met Hope Johnson. (Oh, but first Ryan said that out of all of the cities they visited, "no one did hospitality better than Dallas, Texas." Yeehaw!) Hope, a 19-year-old waitress and bartender from Arlington, hasn't had an easy life.
"I didn't know we were poor when I was little," she said. "I thought a lot of kids didn't eat dinner. Our parents would say, 'You're gonna eat at school.'"
She'd take that school food and bring it home to her little brother, because "when he was hungry, he would cry."
She killed me with that.
But Hope's name certainly fits her; she said she just always figured things would be better. "And there are a lot worse things than just going without."
After getting four enthusiastic yesses from the panel, Hope said the day was "the most overwhelming experience I think I've ever experienced -- so far! -- in my life."
She got one of 181 golden tickets issued. Next up: the Hollywood round and the welcome addition of Ellen Degeneres. Finally.

Lacey Brown, a 23-year-old church event director from Amarillo, made it to the top 50 last season. I do not remember this happening, but they have footage; she was pitted against the quirky Megan Joy Corkrey for a chance to move on. The rest is history.
But Lacey gets a second chance, thanks to her interesting, oddly-paced rendition of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow."
We also got a glimpse of 16-year-old Rachel Hubbard of Boerne, whose talent cause Joe Jonas to raise his eyebrows. In a good way.

Tonight's show promises to reveal some of the best talent that we've yet to see. After producers stuck "Pants On the Ground" into our heads again (admit it -- you were just singing it aloud), we revisited Jessica Furney from last season. I seem to recall that she takes care of her grandmother full-time, and that I enjoyed her until she vanished during the Hollywood round.
This time, she went with "Footprints In the Sand" -- cowritten by none other than Simon Cowell. What the heck?! A bit of Googling reveals that it's on Leona Lewis's album. Seems hard to believe that Simon would be responsible for lyrics such as "I'll carry you when you need a friend; you'll find my footprints in the sand." But OK.
Anyway, Jessica was good. I like her.

Who else is ready to get to Hollywood already? I don't know how many more touching backstories or jubilant folks holding yellow papers I can stomach.

The 24-year-old single mom from Seattle hosts "live karaoke" contests (aren't they all live?) and desperately wants to move on to something better.
"It's a lot more work than you think when you've got the dream," she said with tears in her eyes. "It's a lot f bars, a lot of casinos, a lot of corporate parties and putting on a smile."
The Denver audition was her lucky day. After a raspy, Pink-like version of "I'm The Only One," she received four enthusiastic yesses. She steadily wiped away tears, leading Simon to say, "You seem almost broken. You may have come in here just in time."

The Richardson cosmetologist (with an adorable little brother in tow) sang "To Make You Feel My Love," which I'm not familiar with. No matter; her voice was pure and delightful. While Kara criticized her choice of attire (shorts and a T-shirt that said, "Break the rules"), Simon defended her outfit. "In a way you're not trying too hard like we see in a lot of other people," he said. Good point!
I personally think we Dallas-area folks came across very well tonight. If I didn't already live here I'd wish to relocate, because we're a bunch of happy, witty, talented human beings. According to American Idol, anyway.

Was he not the cutest contestant ever? I'm guessing Roderick has won many fans across the nation. The 24-year-old Arlington actor (who performed with Fantasia in The Color Purple) decided to go with an original song for his audition. I've reprinted the lyrics for you here:
"Todrick is my name and I'm here to play a part in your game
Hopped a plane, took a train, just to claim my 15 minutes of fame

And to see Kara decked and dressed, Simon's face looking so unimpressed
Sitting there like a bump on a log, Randy what I gotta do to be a dawg

Do I have to dress up like I'm from a crazy house or sing like William Hung
For you to see there's some potential in little ol' me?

And tell me, do I have to get down on my knees in my 300-dollar jeans?
Because I would, if it meant to me maybe you could, just send me to Hollywood

Oh, and his vocal skills? Very impressive. On top of the adorableness.

Dave Pittman of Mountain Home, Ark., has Tourette syndrome, which was clear in the audition room before and after he sang. (It's not visible when he's performing, which Dave calls "a miracle.")
As the judges praised his rendition of Sam Cook's "Bringing It on Home To Me," Neil Patrick (who was very quotable!) called Dave "crazy brave." Awesome.
Also melting hearts: Houston teen Christian Spear, who beat leukemia eight years ago. "I didn't sense any fear from you," Kara told her after her audition. "That's really rare in a 16-year-old."
I liked them both. Do I love their talent? Too early to say.

The Irving grad student and former Barney performer said she felt the need "to show people I've grown up" since hanging out with the T-Rex. (Is that what Barney is? Who knows. Hard to tell.)
She came dressed as a dominatrix, complete with a whip, to perform "Free Your Mind."
"You've definitely made an impression here," said Simon. But Neil Patrick had the best quip; after Erica said she wanted to prove that "Barney kids grow up," the guest judge said, "To be dirty little girls." She made it through. (Was her voice the strongest of the night? I say no. But she does win points for creativity.)

In case anyone cares (which I realize is highly doubtful), I'm off to write an Idol recap for the newspaper, which has a deadline. Will resume blogging afterward. Just felt the need to share.

Anybody else get a strong, pre-famous Kelly-Clarkson vibe from this girl? The Denton teacher went with a jazzy original song, which Simon hated.
"I don't see anything current or anything interesting," he said. "Or anything that makes me interested in you as a performer."
Neil (Neil Patrick?) disagreed very strongly, as did the others. After she emerged victorious she told her loved ones, "Simon hated me! But they totally overrode him. I'm gonna have to go back and watch Doogie Houser again!"
More wit from our hometown hopefuls. Loving that.

Who among us did not just fall in love with Lloyd Thomas, the dock worker who hates his job? He's so funny! I think that's what the show's been missing this year -- people who are not funny because they're horrible, but funny because they have natural, sparkling wit.
He also has an incredible voice -- sure to bring out the Ruben Studdard comparisons.
"For me, it was my favorite audition of the day," Simon told him after he finished singing "Overjoyed."
"Get out of here, Simon!" Lloyd said. "You better leave right now!"
But his commentary upon receiving a golden ticket sealed my adoration for him. "It's tangible," he said of the ticket, "it's touchable, it's readable and it's reachable."
It's "readable" -- that was my favorite.

Way back in Season One, Julie was a 21-year-old Dallas resident who wailed and screeched through "Lady Marmalade" -- causing Simon to issue one of his best criticisms ever.
"Are you taking singing lessons?" he asked.
"From a lady up in Montana," she replied.
"Get a lawyer," Simon said. "Sue her."
This time around, Julie is a 28-year-old Fort Worth resident. While she's dropped an impressive amount of weight, she didn't pick up any singing talent. She tried, though -- attempting three songs before security came in to end things.
But she's the best kind of bad singer, in my opinion; it's clear she's not faking it to get on TV. (Which I suppose makes her more pathetic. But still.)
"I felt like I should have paid attention to my breathing," she said after being kicked out. "I should have taken a deep breath -- that's what I should have done." Pause. "Which I think I did...."

"Texas is a place American Idol has come to know and love," Ryan said at the start of the show. Aw! (Hey, they don't say that about every state.)
But let's get down to business. Guest judge Neil Patrick Harris set the tone: "My goal today is to shatter the dreams of thousands," he told Kara. "If I can make 2 or 3,000 people cry, I feel like I've done my job."

Judging by the previews, we should expect tonight's coverage of the Dallas (and Arlington) auditions to include the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, longhorn cattle (it's required by law every time the word "Texas" is uttered on television), Joe Jonas, Neil Patrick Harris and Barney the dinosaur. It looks like he tries to audition, but he's obviously too old. Being extinct and all.
We're hearing that Jason Castro's brother Michael makes a second stab at the show (which means we should see him tonight, too), but what else should we expect? Weigh in with your thoughts, predictions, maybe a few memories if you happened to try out. But don't tell us if you made it to Hollywood, because that would be breaking all kinds of rules.

"I hear the judges are arriving by helicopter," said the new guest judge, "and I think that's ridiculous." I think we can all agree on that point.
Anyhoo, we saw lots of post-rejection tears (including a few from that crying girl who loved Sanjaya! Methinks someone hopes to milk the fame).
Next up: Musician Andrew Garcia of Moreno Valley, Calif., whose parents escaped from the gang life to give him a better future.
The judges couldn't have been more blown away by his audition. "I think you're a great guy," Simon said, "and I'm very, very happy to say yes to you."

Our guest judge tonight is Avril Lavigne, wearing a hoodie fashioned with devil horns. First up: Neil Goldstein, a data entry tech from Redlands, Calif. He was delusional, sweaty and practically begging for abuse from the judges.
"There is no reality but what we make for ourselves, man, and i am going to Hollywood!" he yelled to Simon. Um, no he was not.
As Avril the Devil put it, "Awkwaaard!"

If you're like me and you thought American Idol was airing the Dallas auditions on the 26th, time for a correction! The official Idol site is now saying that the Los Angeles auditions will be airing on Tuesday and the Dallas ones will be on Wednesday. Have fun looking for your friends and neighbors!

When he was 15, Lawrence robbed a bank with a BB gun.
"I spent four birthdays behind bars," said the cowboy-hat-wearing big guy. "I never saw my dad cry before that time."
His luck may be changing; after he sang "Trouble" for the judges, Simon ruled the audition brilliant. (Not a word we hear from him often.)
"I almost felt like you could have written that song," he added. "That's how believable it was." Simon also said it was "the easiest yes I've said today."
Oh, I should quote another judge in this last post. Let's go with Randy.
"You're so genuine, dude. That's what it's all about, man! And you've got vocals. What?"
Kara then predicted that we'd see Matt in the top 12. That's bold!

Cornelius Edwards, a security guard from Boynton Beach Fla., is a limber fellow. He decided to incorporate that talent into his audition.
As he sang "Rollin' on the River," Cornelius dramatically jumped in the air and down into the splits. Very violently, in fact.
"Doo doop do do do!" he sang. "Doop do do doop -- my pants done ripped."
He's going to Hollywood.
After Cornelius left (carefully holding his drawers together), Kara said, "That was hilarious. That was HILARIOUS," over and over. Yes, it was hilarious -- until Kara kept telling us how hilarious it was.
Is it obvious that she hasn't fully won me over yet?

Didn't we already have a beat boxer on this program? (I couldn't recall the name until the judges did first: Blake Lewis. Ah, yes.)
Anyway, Miami resident Jay gave us a version of "Come Together" that sounded something like this: "Bwone thing bwi can bwtell you is you bwgot to bwee free."
Despite the fact that Simon said he was "actually soaking wet after that," the spitter somehow made it through. We will never see him again. My prediction.

The 28-year-old from Lakeland, Fla., has an autistic son.
"As a man, I wanted to feel like I could fix things," he said in a clip from his home. "But you can't fix this."
But you can try to afford better care, and that's what Seth is trying to do. So I think we were all happy to hear that the dude can actually sing; his version of "Someone To Watch Over Me" was soft but beautiful.
"That was an easy yes, Seth," Simon said. (I realize I keep quoting Simon and nobody else. There's a reason for that.)

Helping judge the kids tonight is Kristin Chenoweth, whom Ryan dubbed "the darling of the American musical stage."
Fellow judge Randy Jackson said in an interview two weeks ago that Orlando was a particularly strange stop on the audition tour. Exhibit A: the first singer they show us. Theo Glinton, who had glinty mirrors pasted onto his eyeball area, attempted Pat Benatar's "Heartbreaker."
They said no. And furthermore, said Simon, "when you walk in like that, I mentally said no."
Then Ryan proceeded to remove all of the mirror circles from the man's face. In other words, Randy was right about this particular stop.

The 21-year-old from Morris, Ill., had a great backstory: Several years ago, an asthma attack caused her throat to close up and she almost lost her life. Her mom believes that the music they surrounded her with in the hospital helped pull her through. Aww.
Then it was time to get to the singing. Her version of "A Change is Gonna Come" was all right, but not as good as they made us think it was about to be. (In my opinion.)
Simon voted against sending her on, but the other three overruled him. Anything to add drama to a dud of an episode. In my opinion!

It's 38 minutes in, and I have to admit that I'm bored. The first phase of Idol is really only as entertaining as the people who show up to try out; sadly, Chicago is failing to deliver. Yeah, the producers can try to ramp up the humor with editing and special effects, but that only goes so far. Their fate, in each city, hinges on a "Pants on the Ground" moment -- the thing that will get America talking the next day. I haven't seen a glimpse of such a moment tonight. So far!

The single mom whose been through a lot (sick child, death of her dad -- the list goes on) tried out in Season 7 and 8, making it to the top 50 last year. She was back again tonight, auditioning with a very believable rendition of "Just Fine" by Mary J. Blige.
"It's singers like you why I like doing this show," Simon told her.
Just think: If she wins, the show will have the best story arc ever. But maybe I'm getting a little ahead of myself here.

The show opened with a little montage of foul-mouthed Windy-City contestants cursing the show. I'm sure Chicago appreciates that.
Shania Twain is our guest judge this evening. (Will Shania Twain ever age? Just wonderin.')
Amy Lang, a 26-year-old waitress with a big personality and other large attributes, tried to be all funny and sassy with her rendition of "Dr. Feelgood." Simon was having nothing of it, curtly telling her to vamoose. This is why Idol needs him. (Among other reasons.)

Every year, something from American Idol seeps into popular culture despite all odds. Even if you don't watch the show, even if the contestant doesn't move on... you'll still hear about a few Idol events. Here's Larry Platt performing his original song, "Pants on the Ground:"

It's so catchy! Much better than "Lady, We Are No Longer Dating," or whatever that other original song was called.

Bryan Walker, a mild-mannered police officer from Sevierville, Tenn., said he was going to sing in the style of Ruben Studdard. Whaddaya know, that's exactly what he did.
Randy, pointing out the discrepancy between the guy's appearance/job and his incredible talent, said, "I love the fakeout, man!"
Me, too. Love the fakeouts.

I don't really have the energy to describe this guy, except to point out that he had the Idol logo shaved into his hairdo. And he made it through to Hollywood.

Holly Harden of Rockmart, Ga., might be the first ridiculously-costumed Idol hopeful to make it to Hollywood. (Am I forgetting anybody else? Oh, that girl on roller skates made it to the next round, didn't she. If memory serves.)
Her rendition of "You Ain't Woman Enough To Take My Man" was just strong enough to forgive the costume. (But she never won over guest judge Mary J. Blige, who summed the whole thing up with four words: "I don't get it.") I liked her just fine, but I have a feeling Holly will get to Hollywood only to never be seen again on this show. My prediction.

"There ain't much to do in Vonore," Vanessa said as we see a clip of her in her Tennessee town. "So I jump bridges."
She never goes to the mall or to the movies; she admits that she really doesn't have much of anything.
"I got this dress for a pretty good deal -- four dollars and fifty cents at the dollar store out in Smyrna!" she said.
Vanessa may be the most real person they've ever featured on this show. So yeah, maybe her voice wasn't the strongest, but who among us didn't cheer (and wipe away a tear) when she got a ticket to Hollywood?
"My mom's gonna have a heart attack!" she said, trying to full absorb what had just happened. This means she'll get to ride on an "aeroplane," among other new and exciting things.
By the way, her dress looked way more expensive than $4.50. She's a good shopper. I adore her.

Wow, they should have premiered with Atlanta instead of Boston, in my humble opinion. Because tonight's episode is 20 times more entertaining than the first.
Jermaine Sellers of Joliet, Ill., sings at church and takes care of his mom, who has spina bifida. But most importantly (for this show, anyway!) is whether he could sing.
That would be a yes, based on his creative, soulful version of "What If God Was One of Us." (Hey, that's a unique audition pick!)
Randy called his tryout "the best vocal we've seen yet. This is the real deal right now."
My 11-year-old son seems to agree. "I see the next American Idol in him!" he shouted.
I asked if I could quote him. He said no. I said hey, if this guy IS the next American Idol, I could go back to this and it will show how smart he is.
"Will I get paid?" my son asked. OK, fine. Sigh.

Wearing a bright smile and even brighter neon green pants, the marketing rep from Memphis sang "My Heart Will Go On." I got chills from the get-go.
After the judges heaped on the praise, she carried her golden ticket down the elevator to the bottom floor, where her family was waiting. They freaked. (In a good way.)
Those jubilant scenes of loved ones jumping up and down and screaming? I've decided they're my favorite moments on Idol. You should see me at home, clapping and wiping away tears. As if I'm right there with 'em.

Last week, Randy Jackson told us reporters on a conference call that Atlanta and Dallas were his favorite audition cities this year. Which means the golden tickets should be flying tonight. (Assuming Randy's memory didn't fail him.)
First up: Dewone Robinson, a sales associate from ATL who would be performing something he wrote. I know I said last night that I hate the bad singers, but this guy cracked me up.
Simon: "What's the song called?"
Dewone: "Lady, We're Not Together Anymore."
Simon's reaction and follow-up banter was priceless. Can anyone truly replace this man on the show? I think we all know the answer to that. Unfortunately. (Let's hope we're wrong.)

Methinks this guy will be the one people will talk about tomorrow. The 27-year-old vocal coach from Utah (who beat cancer seven years ago) has blue eyes that sparkle and a smile that would melt Antarctica. Oh, he can also sing, as demonstrated by his sultry, flirty rendition of "Feeling Good."
As Posh told him, "I think the gulls are gonna like you." So will the girls.

I miss Paula. This show isn't the same without her special brand of wacky.
Meanwhile, Boston resident Ashley Rodriguez won high praise for her voice, her attitude, her outfit, her hair, her teeth -- everything. Me, I thought she was fine. Whatever.
I personally preferred Tyler Grady, a 19-year-old college student with a '70s fro, flared jeans and two broken arms (he fell out of a tree! Awesome).
After he wowed the room with his rendition of "Let's Get It On," Posh Spice told him she loved his whole look. "It's just great, "said the fashion plate. "Very cool."
Still, you know they're about to give him a major makeover. Simply because they can.

The first half-hour of tryouts didn't thrill me, I have to admit. But then Adam Diricco burst into the room. The 28-year-old Italian bartender from Rhode Island entertained with his big personality and soulful voice, but can he win this thing? Not a chance. (And if he does win, I'll pull out this post to show how much I know about anything.)
Confession: I hate, hate, HATE the bad singers. The "jokes." At this point I think of them as really boring, eye-rolling jokes. And i doubt I'm alone.

So here's the rundown of how things stand, for those keeping score at home:
- No more Paula. She's a faint memory.
- No Simon after this season, so let's go ahead and mourn him now. While he's still alive. (I'm finding myself doing that already, in the first five minutes of the premiere.)
- It'll be weeks before we see Ellen. Hold your horses. (Oh, but FYI: She told Entertainment Weekly that if Simon leaves the show, she will too. So that's just GREAT.)
- Kara has failed to make an impact, but she'll be around for the long haul. Randy is all fine and good, but he can't carry this show the way Mr. Cowell can. I mean, of course not.
- Ryan Seacrest, the fate of this show rides on your cute little shoulders.

Simon Cowell has confirmed that he's leaving American Idol after this season. (Side note: New judge Ellen Degeneres has also said that she probably wouldn't stay if Simon leaves.)

Will the show really be the same without Simon? He's got a professional, legitimate musical opinion and, though he can be a real jerk, I respect that opinion more than those of the other judges. Will the show's process and eliminations be much easier to navigate without a Big Bad like Simon?

Sound off below!

Anthony Williams and I sat through both Carrie Underwood's and Jennifer Hudson's holiday specials on Fox and ABC, respectively, for the sole purpose of letting you know just who did it better.

(Didn't catch either show? Read our original reviews of Carrie Underwood: An All-Star Holiday Special and Jennifer Hudson's I'll Be Home For Christmas before you see our comparison after the jump.)

E! online reports that Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog) is in Dallas today, serving as a guest judge for the second day of American Idol auditions at the W Hotel.

So why Doogie Houser? Well, he hosted the Tony Awards earlier this summer. (You can catch him hosting the Emmy Awards on Sept. 20.) And if you haven't heard his singing as Dr. Horrible, you are missing out. But he's also had an impressive musical theater career, including Rent, Cabaret and Sweeney Todd. Plus? he's darn funny so he'll definitely be fun to watch.

American Idol guest judge Joe Jonas mixed and mingled with the waiting fans outside the W hotel in Victory Park early this afternoon, on his way inside to judge the second Dallas round of the hit singing show.

Some had been waiting all morning -- and at least two skipped school to do that. (See previous posts for the details.)

Photo credit: LOUIS DeLUCA

The new best guess on the time for the American Idol judges to arrive at the W hotel in Victory Park is 2 p.m.

This moving target to see guest judge Joe Jonas plus Simon, Kara and Randy started at 12:30 p.m., moved to 11 a.m. and now is 2 p.m.

Sounds like the girls who skipped school to see him will miss all day of class.

Anticipation is building at Victory Park.

The American Idol judges plus guest judge Joe Jonas were expected at 11 a.m., according to a hotel worker. Now that it's approaching noon, reporter Lindsay Kalter and some Jonas fans are trying to keep their cool waiting.

You know how on the show, the judges arrive to big fanfare? We're waiting to see that, unless of course they slipped in a back entrance.

And beyond Joe Jonas .... Let us know if you spot Simon Cowell, Kara DioGuardi and Randy Jackson out and about in Dallas.