AMERICAN IDOL NIGHT 19: TOP 16 ELIMINATION!!

The time has come for eliminations again. After tonight, we'll know who this year's Top 12 contestants are. A new phase will begin, and the competition will get harder to win, harder to judge, and harder to find really snide remarks to make about it. But first, we've got to cut four semi-finalists. On with the show!

(live blogging, keep refreshing!!)

For the third night in a row, Ryan wears a tie.

Next week, we'll have a bigger performance arena, more studio audience, a bigger band, and a smaller group of contestants. Should be good. 46 million votes came in for the contestants this week! If only we could get this many voters to a presidential election!

There's a brief recap of the best and worst of last night, so go read my previous posts if you want to know what happened with all that.

Now it's time for last year's runner-up Bo Bice. Ah, the memories. He still looks the same. Bo's grown up, gotten a career, and he's a dad. And I think he's bought some conditioner too. Bo's gonna sing "The Real Thing," which is his latest single from what I consider to be a somewhat lackluster debut album. Bo's got so much talent, but he's better as a raw southern rock singer. I do love seeing his mic stand maneuvering yet again. Seriously, if anyone ever declares war, I want Bo on the front lines kicking butt with his mic stand. Nobody this year has his stage presence. His performance doesn't sound very polished tonight, which should tell me how much his album is over-produced. He's not hitting any notes at all tonight, though, and talk about shouting the lyrics! Still, Bo's a rock'n'roller, and that's what he's doing tonight, and it's good to see him again.

After the break, it's time to lose a few performers...

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It's time to find out who has the lowest number of votes. Lisa is not the one. Melissa looks better tonight, and she is safe for the moment. Ayla is also not the lowest vote getter. Ten guesses who does, and the first nine don't count. Kinnik is gone.


Kinnik handles it gracefully, and we get to sit through an encore of the performance that got her voted off. I think I'm gonna go get some coffee.

After the break, one of the guys says see ya!

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And the guys are up! For some reason, the back row of girls have always been safe, but they have tended to mix up the guys. It's time to find out the guy with the lowest number of votes. Kevin does not have the lowest number of votes. Gedeon does not have the lowest number of votes. Bucky is safe for now. Elliott, one of the best performers this year, doesn't have the lowest number. Will Makar is outta here! So far, I'm batting a thousand this week!


Time for Will to sing (YAWN!) and time for yet another coffee break.

After the break, two more have to go!

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I'm convinced that once the commercials are cut out that tonight's episode would only last fifteen minutes. Seriously, this is a lot of advertisement!

Crunch time again for the girls! Paris has been inconsistent, but she is safe this week. Why even bother with Katharine? She's going to the top 12. DUH! Icky Pickler made it. The pimp machine is now two for two. Mandisa is in the top 12, so we've pretty much got the DUH factor out of the way for now. Lisa is in the top 12 as well, leaving Ayla and Melissa as the toss up for the final slot.

Will it be Ayla or Melissa??? The answer is...coming up after the break....

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Time to find out which girl goes home and which girl goes on. Randy thinks it will be Ayla. Melissa is staying in the competition! And unfortunately, Ayla will be going home. I like Ayla though, and I've enjoyed her so far. If I had to blame anything, it wouldn't be her steady and consistent performances. Honestly, I think she's the victim of the pimp machine. At least she can go back and play some b-ball.


Man, I really feel bad for her. She can just barely sing through her tears. I'll miss ya, Ayla.

Back to the guys...Taylor is not going home. Ace is also in the Top 12. No surprises yet. Chris is in the top 12. Did anybody really think they'd announce the eliminee first? No, I don't think so. Kevin is in the Top 12, and I'm just waiting for the Earth to go crashing into the Sun. What?? Elliott better be going to the Top 12. Dude, how'd the Brittenums get out of jail to come see this show? Elliott's in.

Gedeon and Bucky are left, and only one guy can go on. My prediction...it was incredibly easy to get through to Gedeon's number last night...you figure it out!

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We're back, and Simon thinks Gedeon should go through. So, between Bucky and Buckwheat, it will be the North Carolina boy going through to the next round. Gedeon's going home, and that's quite alright with me.


And that's it for tonight's elimination. But next week, the competition gets tighter, and one contestant will be going home each week. Idol will return next Tuesday for live performances and on Wednesday for results.

For goodness sake, could we stop Idol from using that "Bad Day" song again????

I'll have more Idol coverage next week, but keep coming back for other music related news and blogging through the rest of this week and the weekend!