Kristy Lee Cook goes home

Ryan says Andrew Lloyd Webber will bet he mentor next week. I hope it's not a boring show.

So, Ryan is going to send someone back to safety and that person is Syesha. WHAT??!!! That is so beyond ridiculous. This show is totally rigged - I can't even take it anymore.

So after 36 million votes, Ryan says the person staying on the show is Brooke

Kristy Lee Cook is the next to go home. Completely undeserved - completely unfair. She has improved so much. I mean, I knew she wouldn't win, but she deserved to stay beyond Syesha and Carly. Crazy

Kristy, Syesha and Brooke in the bottom three

Interesting... Ryan now tels David and Syesha to switch sides, which means Jason is probably safe, because, again, wherever David is, has to be the safe spot. So, now Ryan says that one group is safe and the other is the bottom three. David Archuleta is already safe and as expected, Ryan asks David to join the group he thinks is safe. He chooses to just sit down in the middle of the stage. Ryan then makes an obvious hint at which group is the safe group, but it goes over David's head, so Ryan has the safe group move toward him instead. The safe group, of course, is David Cook, Carly Smithson (complete baloney) and Jason Castro.

So our bottom three tonight is Kristy Lee Cook, Syesha Mercado and Brooke White.

Mariah Carey and David Archuleta is safe

So Mariah Carey performs "Bye Bye" from her new album that came out today. I wish I could say that it's great and that she's awesome, but all I can say is that it's a typical Mariah Carey performance - beautiful voice with a song I don't like. What else can I say? I'm not a fan.

Back to the results. Last up is David Archuleta and Ryan asks him if he is getting more comfortable on the stage each week. He says yes - that it was amazing how comfortable he felt last night and he felt great. Ryan asks if he's having fun and he says yes, that he's never been happier in his life. Ryan tells him that America voted and he is safe.

Another round of the stupid questions

Ah, the stupid questions are back. Hasn't anyone told them how stupid this segment is? The first question is for Kristy Lee Cook - was she able to buy her horse back, the one she sold to audition for "Idol?" Kristy says no, that the guy who bought her horse does not want to sell it back to her. She says it's very sad, but that the horse is in a good home.

Next question is for the judges - Saturday is National Record Store Day - what was the first record you remember buying? Randy says the first few were Led Zeppelin, Beatles and James Brown. Paula says Jackson 5, Earth, Wind and Fire and Carole King. Simon says he was 10 years old and it was Paula Abdul's "Straight Up."

Next question is for Paula - What song of yours best describes your relationship with Simon and why? She says "Let me tell you something Simon. Straight up, I'll never be forever your girl."

Next question is for Simon - what is the difference between a karaoke performance, a theme park performance and a piano bar performance? He says in a nutshell, all the ones she described are horrible, so those are not the ones they want to hear on the show.

Last question is for David Cook - Are you single? He says yes.

Elliott Yamin and more sorting through contestants

The Ford commercial is set to "I Want to Break Free" and it has them all depicted as puppets and then they break free to drive off in Fords. Very cheesy.

So they're taking a break now to have Elliot Yamin sing "Free." He looks so much better since he's had his teeth fixed, but I'm not sure I'm crazy about the beard. The song is OK, nothing spectacular, but not horrible. He pulls a David Cook at the end, though, putting a message on his hand that says "We Miss You Mom." That's right - his mom died not too long ago, right? That's very sweet. He says this is the first time he's been on a stage without her in the audience - that must have been very hard for him. I hope I'm old and gray before I lose my parents - I can't imagine going through that kind of loss so young.

So, it's back to the results again.

Syesha Mercado is next and Ryan tells her to join Jason and Carly on his left.

Brooke White comes out next and Ryan asks her if it was hard to get through her song last night. She says it was hard, that she knew Mariah Carey week would be difficult but she put everything she had into it and she felt it. Ryan then tells her to join David and Kristy Lee on his right.

Playing games with the results

The group song this week sing is "One Sweet Day," the song Mariah Carey did with Boys II Men. It's very good - they actually gave Jason a pretty long solo, which he did very well. Carly's solo was nothing but yelling - why am I even surprised anymore?

Next up Ryan reminds us the there is only one week left to vote in the song-writing competition. And then he plays highlights from last night.

And it's quickly on to the results. Jason Castro is first - that means he's safe - awesome! Anyway, Ryan asks him if he's ever been to a luau, referring to Randy's comment from last night and he says he hasn't, that he hasn't been to the beach and he's trying to get there. Ryan doesn't tell him he's safe yet - just asks him to start a group to his left.

David Cook is next. Ryan asks him if it was tough to sing "Always Be My Baby". David says no, that there were a lot of things that happened this week and it all came to a head at that moment. He says the fact that he put so much of himself into that performance and the fact that it went oer as well as it did was a little overwhelming. I'm sure he's talking about his brother visiting - it was very touching. Ryan tells him to start a group over to his right. That sucks. That means that Jason is probably in the bottom three, because surely David Cook is safe.

Carly Smithson is next and Ryan asks her if she thinks she held back last night. She says no, that she really enjoyed herself and actually turns to tell Simon that as far as the season goes, she thinks Simon has been a bit hard on her. Simon responds by saying that he has been hard on her because he thinks she is potentially great and he just wants to give her that extra push sometimes. After the vote, Ryan tells Carly to head to her left and join Jason.

Kristy Lee Cook is next and Ryan asks hr what her reaction is to the critiques last night. She says that most of the time, she agrees with the judges, but Simon can be a ?? sometimes. It sounded like she said butthead, but would she really say that on TV? I played it back a few times, but I just can't make out what she says. Ryan then tells her to join David to his right.

"I don't want to cry"... I hope you all voted for Jason Castro (or David Cook)

Mariah Carey says she was surprised that David Cook chose "Always Be My Baby" because she didn't know what he was going to do with it. David says he thinks he's taking another step outside the box with this song, that it's obviously a huge pop hit. Mariah says David did something really different and that it made her really proud as a songwriter to see that the song could stand the test of time and also a male perspective. She tells David that it sounded really pretty and haunting the way he was singing with his voice and not resolving it (No clue what she's talking about). She says she thinks it could be a big hit for him, not from a selfish point of view, but from a selfish point of view of wanting to hear it, as a listener.

What can be said about David Cook? First off, I have to say that he's looking almost hot tonight - I'm loving the facial hair and the hair is still way improved, but besides that... Is there any new word out there that can accurately describe his creativity, his vision, his talent? He's so gifted that he's too good for "American Idol." He will no doubt go on to ridiculous success. I mean, I happen to love Mariah's version of this song - it's one of the two or three songs of hers that I like - and I never imagined, ever, that this song could be sung by a man, let alone a rocker-type. And Mariah was right - he does make the song sound kind of haunting, but in a good way - he totally connected with the song, perhaps the lyrics - that it was if he wrote the song himself. He's amazing - if you missed it, you've just gotta see it.



Randy tells him that more than almost anyone else on the show right now, he's ready to make an album, that he's a hot recording artist. He stands up and says, "I've never stood up yet this season - that was the most brilliant performance yet." Paula says that the song could be on a movie soundtrack right now, and who knows? maybe it will. Simon says it was like coming out of karaoke hell into a breath of fresh air because that was original, it was daring, it stood out by a mile and this a sign of a great potential artist - someone who takes risks.

So People magazine had reported that David's brother, the one who is battling brain cancer, was cleared to travel to be in the audience tonight, and they showed him a couple of times. No mention was made of him, but David is crying right now and I have a feeling it's because his brother, who may not live much longer, just got to watch his absolute brightest moment on the show so far.


Mariah Carey says that Jason doing "I Don't Want to Cry" is really interesting and different. She says that with Jason, it's about expressing a song and singing to get that song into people's hearts. Jason says she offered some tips for the melody and he loved it. She says she's looking forward to seeing his performance, seeing if he chose to use any of her ideas, but if not, hopefully he'll do great, because she thinks he's really unique and she enjoyed working with him.

Of course, I love it - I like the funky beat he added to the song, he made it kind of mellow and laid-back. The actual singing wasn't his best, but really, I have to be honest, it's not really his singing I'm into. I'd be just as enthusiastic if he just sat there and looked pretty. Having said that, though, I still think he was in the top three or four. Even though he doesn't have the best voice in the bunch, he's interesting, he holds people's attention and I think that counts for something. Syesha has a beautiful voice, but I think she's so dull, I could tune her out. But Jason's getting better, he's making good song choices and I think he's 100% safe this week.

Randy says he didn't really love it, that he felt like he was in a weird beach luau and someone's playing some music in the distance. He says it was weird for him - he didn't get it. Paula says she'd love to be at that luau listening all night long. She says he's getting so confident and it's just lovely to hear him. Simon says, "Jason, I'm going to have to agree with... Paula." He says it wasn't the best vocal but it identified with him, that it was a cool version. He adds that the guys completely won the night.


Ah... who should go tomorrow? I think the bottom three will be Syesha, Carly and Brooke. I think Brooke will be safe because she has some fantastic performances in her past, so people will be likely to give her another shot. Between Carly and Syesha, to be honest, I don't really care who goes - I'd like to see them both go, but having flipped a coin, I say tomorrow night, it's Syesha who goes home.

Could Syesha Mercado be "Vanishing" tomorrow night?

I'm wondering what Syesha Mercado did to piss off Mariah Carey, because so far, she's hugged the contestants upon meeting them, but with Syesha, for some reason, she stands very still and Syesha, feeling nervous, probably, makes no move to hug Mariah. It all looks kind of awkward. But anyway, Mariah says Syesha made a really good choice with the song, "Vanishing." She says she was a teenager writing this song that ended up still being one of her favorite songs. She gives Syesha some tips and Syesha says that Mariah really took her time to show her that she could make the song her own so she feels confident. Mariah tells her she was amazing. And finally, at the end, Syesha gets her Mariah Carey hug and kisses on the cheek. Mariah says she thinks Syesha was very cool and composed and that she did a great job.

She sounds pretty good, but there are a couple of parts where she falls a little flat, but more importantly, I feel like she's doing the same thing every week - ballad after ballad after ballad. For me, it's gotten to the point where there's nothing left to say. I could post the exact same words about her every week, that's how little she changes - she takes on songs that are too big for her, but never really puts her own spin on anything, never really shows her personality. How will anyone be able to sell her? She has no appeal, nothing special that would make people run out and buy her music. That's my opinion, anyway.

Randy says that for the last couple of week he's been saying that she always picks the toughest song and that tonight, it's probably the toughest song again, and he likes that she's bold. He says he was afraid when he heard she would be singing that song, but he think she did a good job, all things considered. He says there were some pitchy moments, but that it was pretty good. Paula says she's extremely smart because she picked a song that not many people know and she won't be compared as much, and that tonight was an unbelievably magical night for her. Simon tells her that technically, it was very, very good indeed, but having said that, he's not sure he would have chosen a song that not many people know about, so she runs a risk.


Brooke White is singing "Hero," and Mariah Carey says she initially wrote the song for Gloria Estefan. She says she loved Brooke, that she was really genuine as a person. Brooke says Mariah told her to just sing how you're feeling in the moment, to just be in the moment and be real. Mariah says she thinks it's a good choice for and she hopes people will listen to it like something brand new that's coming from her heart.

She's on the piano this week and she starts out really great, but something happens somewhere in the middle that freaks her out because they show a close-up of her and she's kind of shaking and she starts to speed up the song, probably trying to get it over with. So, the end was way too fast, I think. But overall, I think her voice sounded good - a couple of moments where she went out of tune a bit, but nothing major.

Randy says he liked the fact that she brought a whole singer/songwriter to the thing, that it was kind of cool (in case you're stumped on what he means, don't ask me, because I have no idea) and he was really digging it... until the bridge. He also says that at the end, he could see that she was starting to lose a little confidence, but he appreciates the singer/songwriter look and he thought it was pretty good. Paula says every ounce of her is totally authentic and that it's a beautiful thing. She says she sounded really good, with the exception of a few bad notes, but she should never let that speed her up, because she said she felt like the song kept getting faster. Simon says he didn't think she had much choice other than to do what she did. Having said that, he says it was a bit like ordering a hamburger and only get the bun. IN order words, the vital ingredient, the bit in the middle, was missing, because he doesn't think her voice is strong enough to carry that song.


Mariah Carey says she really enjoyed Kristy Lee Cook doing "Forever" because a lot of people don't know that song and she really delivered it well. She even tells Kristy Lee that she got goosebumps listening to her sing it. Of course, Kristy Lee is beside herself, and says, "I can't believe I gave Mariah Carey goosebumps. Like, that's amazing." Mariah seems pretty taken with Kristy Lee because she tells her that she likes the way she sings the better than her own version. Kristy Lee says she's going to try get connected with the song and that she'll give it her best.

I have to say, the vocal coach they have on the show totally needs to get a raise. He or she took Kristy Lee, who was a total disaster for the first four or five weeks and completely turned her around. She sounds great tonight - I don't know if I'd say her interpretation is better than Mariah Carey's version - but I feel like she improves every week. She looks beautiful tonight, too.

Randy says he didn't think it was amazing, that there were a couple of pitchy notes in the first part, but she stepped it toward the end. Paula says she's blown away and that the way the arrangement was done, she could have a hit with it in the country/western world. Simon starts by saying, "Well, you probably weren't jumping for joy, were you, when you heard it was Mariah Carey week? Kristy Lee responds by saying, "I was just happy I gave her chills..." Simon interrupts and says, "Really? OK - you didn't give me chills." He says he thinks she managed with what she could, that it was a little bit whiny at times, but that the theme was never going to be an advantage for her, so she was quite smart, but it just wasn't great.

"Without you," Carly Smithson, we might actually hear some good singing

It's Mariah Carey night and I have to admit, I'm not really looking forward to it. I only like maybe two or three of her songs and while I can acknowledge that she has a beautiful voice, I think her persona is kind of trashy - I liked her better when she was married to Tommy Mottola, before she got all hip-hop. But her appeal to millions can't be denied, so I realize that having her on "Idol" is a huge deal.

David Archuleta is up first and he says meeting Mariah Carey was really scary because he doesn't think he's worthy of being in her presence. Mariah says that David is doing "When You Believe" and she says it was really moving. She tells him he should try to use his falsetto for a few seconds and he says her advice was really helpful because it was stuff he hadn't thought about because he didn't think he'd be able to do it. She tells him not be afraid because whatever he does is going to be real and authentic. She says she's proud of him and where he seems to be at as a person and his singing is just beautiful.

As usual, he sounds great, but I feel like he's getting kind of dull and predictable. He sings a ballad every week and it's been a while since he's changed a song or really made it his own. I understand that the young girls think he's dreamy and that moms and grandmothers out there think he's adorable, but he's so one-dimensional, such a one-trick pony that I just don't think he should win this season. He's shown very little originality and while his voice is beautiful, we all know that it takes much more than just that to win this competition.

Randy tells him he was a little worried about tonight having boys singing girl songs, and he picked one of the toughest ones, but he says if you can sing, you can sing anything, and he tells David that he can sing anything and that it was the bomb. Paula says it must be great to have Mariah hear his interpretation of the song and that he made her proud. Simon agrees and says he would have bet $1 million that David was going to pick that song. He says it was very, very good and that he set the benchmark. He says the boys will have an easier time tonight than the girls because they won't be compared to Mariah, but he sang it very well.


Carly Smithson is next and Mariah Carey actually tells her that she's been waiting to meet her, that she's been loving watching her. Yuck. She says Carly is doing "Without You" and that it's a classic and she's more than doing it justice - that she's doing an amazing job. Carly says she tried to forget that Mariah was there but she's just so cute, like a big sunshine ray. Mariah says Carly has a really powerful voice and she made really wise decisions in terms of the notes she went to to complement her range. She tells Carly to just be herself and be confident about what she's doing and she'll do amazing.

She starts out really well, singing in a regular tone, no yelling, and she actually looks really nice tonight. Oh wait... she's hit the chorus and guess what? The yelling has begun. I was really starting to get excited, thinking that perhaps she had realized that she would sound better if she just sung instead of straining her voice and screaming. But no, she still thinks she has to have this huge powerful voice and if it came naturally, then that would be great, but she should work with what she has instead of straining to be something else. I know I might be alone on this, but I'm just sick of her.

Randy says he likes that she challenged herself with this big song because she has the big vocals, but he says she has to trust herself in the lower range because he thinks the first part was a little not quite loosey goosey for him, but that it was pretty good. Paula says she liked that Carly showed some vocal restraint at the beginning and then swelled and soared. Simon says he really wanted to hear her sing this song, even before Mariah week, and he says now is the difficult part because there is now a direct comparison - could she pull it off - and he says he doesn't think she did. He says he thinks she's capable of it, but that she's overthinking everything, that she's wound up, and holding herself back at the end and he thinks it was an OK version.