The top ten singers were chosen tonight, determining which of the singers would go on tour this summer. Kristy Lee Cook is now the luckiest person on this season of
American Idol: for several weeks in a row she escaped going home despite deserving to. Should Amanda have been eliminated sooner or later? Most definitely. But the girl made a good point last night—who would be more fun to see live? No contest—even if Amanda isn't your cup of tea, it's at least entertaining to hear what she does with her songs, good or bad. She didn't really deliver a polished encore of "Back in the USSR" (the arrangement seemed hard to get into, especially without that airplane cue) but she rocked out her last few seconds on the show admirably. She seemed to take the news of her elimination with some class, although I like how she basically shoved Kristy Lee away from her as she tried to deliver consolation hugs. I'm sure those made Amanda feel almost as good as straight-haired Brooke's "I'm sowwy" frowny face.
Finally, though, we move away from the Beatles, after yet another uncomfortable medley. It sounds almost like the producers switch to pre-recorded music when the singers aren't doing their solos. At least them collectively singing "Because" made sense, as it is an ensemble type song (I thought of other songs that would go over well in that manner too, like "Birthday" and "Yellow Submarine" and "Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da.") Perhaps it was foreshadowing that Amanda got to cover "The End."
I wish someone from these boards would make it on to the live call-in portion of the show. I'm not sure to say what, but it'd have to be more interesting than asking Michael Johns if his Idol experience has been everything he expected it to be. Although watching it, I learned that Randy really is a stupid a-hole, for asking "Why?" after Simon noted that the caller who insulted his clothing choices was being rude. Plus, I never mind the Simon/Paula romantic subplot. It's a little like Moonlighting, or something.
We also got to see what's up with some of the Idol alumni. Elliot Yamin seems to enjoy hanging out with exhausted brand-new mothers in Angola, while Kellie Pickler seems to have dropped, at least temporarily, her "I'm an idiot, ain't I cute and stuff?" act, although Ryan continues to pick on her for getting a boob job (but not on Elliot for getting his teeth fixed.)
So maybe Amanda lucked out in not making the top ten, or else she'd be forced to do charity work or mocked for her cosmetic decisions (like unnecessary extensions). But Kristy Lee, your time will come. It has to come. Please. Grade: B-
Stray observations:
—I feel like the people who think up the Ford music videos must be on drugs because I don't know what sober person would think that an old-timey movie about people driving their SUV's away from UFO's, set to the Clash no less, was a good idea.
—Also, it must suck being in the live audience as those in attendance are then obliged to applaud these shitty commercials.
—I can't believe that more people voted for Ramiele than Carly.
—How nice was it only to have to hear one loser's encore instead of three?