American Idol

This week the Top 20 American Idol contestants were faced with the hottest tunes from the 1970s — a decade when they weren’t even alive. So, after a week of Amanda Overmyer looking like a skunk and David Archuleta blowing away his competition, who’s going home?

Jason Yeager never really had a strong performance this season, even during the weeks leading up to the live competition.

First to go tonight is Jason Yeager. The Texan, who is used to singing for his supper (or while other people have their supper), definitely was an obvious choice for elimination. He never really stood out in the crowd, and this week just wasn’t enough. So far, things are going the way you’d expect.

Alexandrea Lushington was eliminated far too soon in this year’s competition. She had an original sound — and a personality — which is what many contestants seem to be lacking.

The first girl to go home is Alexandrea Lushington. This, unlike Jason, is a complete disappointment. This girl had some true, raw talent. Tonight was far too soon for Alexandrea to leave this competition. Who in the world is voting for Amanda Overmyer? This mistake is about as big as Ruben Studdard beating Clay Aiken for the Season 2 title.

Even in her goodbye performance, Alexandrea shows she has an interesting voice? So, why is she going home? It certainly is the age-old mistake of wrong song at this point in the competition. Nobody is too emotionally tied to any of these contestants, so one little slip up can really ruin their chances.

From the sidelines, it appears as though the one contestant people really are favoring this season — David Archuleta — is quite upset. In fact, he was the first to give Alexandrea a hug after she finished her performance.

Alaina Whitaker, the teenager from Oklahoma, broke down in tears after her somewhat shocking boot from the Season 7 Top 20.

Kady Malloy and Alaina Whitaker are in the bottom two, and either could go. It’s obvious Kady is in more danger, but American disagrees. In another slightly shocking moment early in Season 7, the Carrie Underwood-esque contestant of the year says goodbye.

“I can’t sing,” Alaina said, as she started to cry. This may be the most emotional breakdown of any season.

But Alaina did sing, after Ryan Seacrest gave her a choice on whether or not to take the microphone. “It’s going to sound horrible,” she said. The other female finalists rallied behind her, and she performed Hopelessly Devoted to You one last time.

On March 11, this season’s Top 12 will perform from the Lennon/McCarthy songbook on a new stage with a new set. It’s something that also will be celebrated with the Idol winner mentioned above, Ruben Studdard, who apparently has recorded a special “goodbye” song for the season.

And, after raising $76 million last year, Idol Gives Back also will return this season. Will it be as celebrity-driven as last season? I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

Now, back to the eliminations. There’s one guy left to go, and we’ll find out who it is … after the break.

With just six minutes left in the episode, Ryan mentioned Brad Pitt, Miley Cyrus, Mariah Carey, Snoop Dogg and past Idol folks like Chris Daughtry and Carrie Underwood will be among those involved in this year’s Idol Gives Back. I guess that gives us the answer to that question.

Robbie Carrico was the eighth contestant eliminated from the Top 24 this season on American Idol.

Robbie Carrico and Luke Menard are in the bottom two, and one must go. That person is Robbie Carrico. Now I guess we’ll never see him tear that wig from his head as he performs later this season.

FINAL THOUGHTS: We’re down to the Top 16 now, and tonight’s episode had a couple of expected departures from the guys. But the girls? I think it’s safe to say Kady Malloy and Amanda Overmyer had to have entered tonight with some fear in their hearts about going home. Somehow, the shocking results kept them both safe. Not good, America. Not good.

American Idol, Robbie Carrico, Jason Yeager, Alaina Whitaker, Alexandrea Lushington, Idol Gives Back

We’re down to the Top 20 — 10 guys and 10 girls — and American Idol is starting to get really interesting. Or, at the very least, entertaining. Tonight, it’s the Top 10 guys singing classics from the 1970s.

7:02 p.m.

Michael Johns performs during the first week of live competition.

Michael Johns is first to take the stage. His musical ammunition tonight is Go Your Own Way. The Aussie certainly maintains his professional approach. While I think he’s a good entertainer, it’s become clear to me Michael isn’t the best male singer in this competition — though I suspect he’s one of the three Simon Cowell says are quite talented this season.

“I was waiting for you to let go,” Randy Jackson said.

“Michael, it was OK,” Simon said. “It was, by far, your weakest performance so far … It was a very weak choice of song for you.”

7:10 p.m.

Jason Castro has stood out from the crowd thus far in the competition by playing his guitar. This week, though, it wasn’t as strong of a performance as what he brought to the table last week.

Jason Castro, after a stunning first week performance, is back on the stage. The performer says he has struggled with the interview portion of being an Idol contestant. But he’s back on stage with his guitar, which certainly could be a secret weapon this season. This week, he chose I Just Want to be Your Everything. Tonight’s showing is not nearly as good as last week, but Jason clearly is focused on showing he is a real musician. That’s what this show needs, though the guitar also may be the thing Jason is hiding behind. Eventually, it will be interesting to see if he can perform without the guitar?

“With the guitar, it’s all cool,” Randy said. “… The vocals weren’t that great.”

“I thought the song was horrible,” Simon said. “… It didn’t go together this week. … This week, it was all out of sorts.”

Luke Menard performs during the first week of live competition.

Luke Menard reveals he’s part of a touring a cappella group, which he credits to being a strong force in preparing him for the Idol stage. Tonight, he is backed with a band for his rendition of Killer Queen. It’s better than last week, but still Luke isn’t stepping up as much as he could … should he be able to stay in the competition.

“I think this was really a great week for you, Luke,” Paula said.

“I think it was a mistake,” Simon said. “You are always going to be judged with the original. … The singer of that song had originality and charisma. You didn’t.”

Ryan just referenced Luke as “Dawson’s Creek,” which is kind of funny. Truth be told, Luke does look like James Van Der Beek, the star of the WB hit series.

7:24 p.m.

Now it’s Robbie Carrico’s turn. It turns out this ex of Britney Spears likes drag racing. And tonight the guy who’s a little bit Bo Bice and a little bit Bucky Covington (picture it), he’s singing to prove he really is a serious rocker. Hot Blooded is the song he chooses to prove his point to Simon. I have to say, it didn’t do much for his case. Sorry, Robbie fans, I’m just not impressed.

“I thought you did a pretty good job with it,” Randy said. “I was just waiting to be wowed.”

“Robbie, I think it some ways you played it a little bit safe this week,” Paula said.

“You don’t have to get so defensive about it,” Simon said. “Actually, I thought the vocal was OK tonight.”

7:34 p.m.

Danny Noriega

He had a rough first week, but Danny Noriega is back with hopes to redeem himself. If truth be told, I hope he can redeem himself (even in that terrible 1970s sweater). The song choice this week, Superstar, certainly was a lot better than trying to recreate Elvis. I think it may be enough to put Danny back in the competition, though he’s coming from a really rough week. Still, I know Danny could do much better.

“Danny, you’ve got amazing vocal skill,” Paula said. “You really do. … Just perform. You’ve got the ability; you’ve got the talent.”

“It wasn’t a fantastic vocal,” Simon said. “… You were overconcentrating on it. … You look terrific on camera, by the way.”

7:43 p.m.

David Hernandez

David Hernandez is up. The former gymnast has turned his focus to singing. A surprising song choice, David chose Papa Was a Rolling Stone for 70s week. I’m not sure this is the kind of music that really can make him stand out, though he certainly has a strong voice. I think David is better suited performing more modern music — or even original things meant only for him. He certainly ended on a strong note, though.

“Now this is the David Hernandez that we fell in love with,” Randy said. “… That’s how to put it down.”

“Your voice is so pure, it pierces right through the heart,” Paula said. “… There were some notes there that were amazing.”

“This may surprise you, but, in my opinion, that was the best vocal of the night so far,” Simon said. “… I like the fact that when you are given some criticism … you treat it as a challenge.”

It’s clear we’re at that point in the season where commercials fill the space between the lack of enough content to fill a 90-minute episode. I guess I shouldn’t complain about commercials after each performance, based on the alternative — terrible group songs. (Have I mentioned this too much?)

7:53 p.m.

Jason Yeager

Jason Yeager is a self-taught instrumental musician. He taught himself a few instruments, though he hasn’t really showcased too much of that talent this far in the competition. “I really want to find a killer song that I will be able to play guitar on,” he says.

This week, Jason chose Long Train Runnin’. So far, he hasn’t really stood out in the crowd. Tonight is no exception, either. It seems a few seasons from now (should Idol continue …) Jason Yeager likely won’t be a name we all remember. The one thing that is certain, though, is Jason certainly is in danger of being sent home this Thursday. But maybe I’m wrong.

“It was a very pitchy and just kind of karaoke for me,” Randy said.

“I’m having a tough time figuring out how to … it’s a song that doesn’t have many notes in it to show your vocal range,” Paula said.

“It was like you were drunk at a party,” Simon said. “You’re just a quite good singer who can’t perform very well.”

8:04 p.m.

After wearing this tangerine-colored suit last week, Chikezie toned down his fashion for this week’s show.

Chikezie Eze should have been sent home last week, if you ask me. But he’s here for one more week, at least. So, let’s buckle up and make the most of it.

I Believe is the song Chikezie hopes will keep him singing this season, and he even added a little tough by throwing his own name into the lyrics. While the performance certainly was not as great as last week, I still can’t get past that. And I’m just not sure Chikezie is all that talented. Maybe I’m missing something.

“Chikezie is back,” Randy said. “… That was hot, baby.”

“Very clever to pick a song and a story and point to this one (Simon) and say, ‘You better remember my name,’” Paula said.

“You look better. You sounded better,” Simon said. “… It was a million times better than last week.”

David Cook

Now it’s David Cook’s turn, who’s apparently a “geek” for words. He does crossword puzzles and, tonight, he breaks out the guitar.

Playing the rock guy behind a guitar certainly is helpful to David’s success. All Right Now is a much better song choice for someone in this genre. I think David could really start picking up momentum as the Chris Daughtry of the season. For me, I’m starting to get what the fuss is all about with David.

“To me, you’re our real rocker from the boys this year,” Randy said. “… I really kind of believed you right there.”

“David, you are the real deal,” Paula said. “You got it. You got it, you got it.”

“It was solid,” Simon said. “… I don’t think that film helped you. It was boring, and that’s partly your problem. Because you don’t have a lot of charisma.”

8:20 p.m.

David Archuleta is, without question, the leader in this season’s competition. This kid can wail.

He arguably was the best performer last week — among all Top 24 contestants, even. So, can David Archuleta maintain his rumored lead in the competition? We’ll see. First, David mentions his chance encounter with the Season 1 contestants. See the video of David’s impromptu performance.

Tonight, David chose Imagine by John Lennon. Not only is it a popular song, but it’s one that’s tough to recreate. David, however, nailed it. This kid really has it going on.

“Dawg, that’s one of the best vocals I’ve ever heard on the show,” Randy said. “… That was brilliant.”

“David, you are ridiculous,” Paula said before making some crazy comments about wanting to “squeeze his head off” and “dangle it from her rearview mirror.” What? Oh, Paula.

“Very, very risky to do a John Lennon song … but it worked,” Simon said. “Right now, you’re the one to beat.”

WHO GETS MY VOTE: David Archuleta. And he should get your vote, too. This kid is one of the best singers ever to grace the Idol stage. As much as I think his entire “Oh, golly, gosh, gee” attitude is a big act, it doesn’t matter. The kid has a voice. And singing John Lennon? Incredible. I’m also going to toss a few votes to Danny Noriega, who showed the biggest improvement from last week.

WHO SHOULD GO HOME: There’s no doubt Jason Yeager is in trouble. He seems like a nice guy, but he’s so forgettable. Chikezie may have saved himself for another week, though I want to send him home based on last week’s effort.

American Idol, David Archuleta, Chikezie Eze, David Cook, Luke Menard, David Hernandez, Jason Castro, Danny Noriega, Jason Yeager, Michael Johns, Robbie Carrico

Is this year’s talent the best yet? We’re about to find out as the Top 12 guys compete live for the first time this season on American Idol.

7:01 p.m.
The Top 12 girls are waiting in the wings, and Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell are ready to give their critics. It’s only a matter of time before Paula yells “touchdown” or Simon says someone sounds like a karaoke singer. It’s almost all too predictable. But I love it.

“I’m looking for personality, originality and, obviously, you’ve gotta sing well,” Simon says. Obviously.

Tonight, the contestants will sing songs from the 1960s. These themes certainly are what can make — or break — any contestant.

7:09 p.m.

David Hernandez is the first up this week. The 24-year-old is from Glendale, Ariz., home of last year’s Idol winner, Jordin Sparks. Could lightning strike twice in the same city? We’ll see.

He certainly has a voice unlike anyone who’s been in the competition before. This early in the competition, though, it’s tough to see David as a leader of the pack. He is the first we’re seeing live, after all. The plus side is that David seems to have control over his voice; whether he’s singing high or low, he has it in control.

“You’ve got brilliant vocals to rely on,” Paula says. “… Really cool. Really cool. Good job.”

Chikezie Eze during his Season 7 audition. The jeans and T-shirt look certainly was a lot better than a tangerine-colored suit.

Chikezie, formerly known as Chikezie Eze, is next up. The 22-year-old college student from California made it to Hollywood Week last year, but he didn’t give up. And it worked out for Season 7.

When it comes to cheesy suits, Chikezie already is on top of his game. Didn’t the stylists explain looks are important in this competition? Tangerine suits aren’t the way to go, either. But on to the vocals. I have to say Chikezie has a good voice, but his song tonight doesn’t make him stand out way above the competition … at least not in my books.

“It was pretty good, man,” Randy says. “… You can definitely sing.”

“I absolutely hated the whole performance, and I’ll tell you why,” Simon said. “The suit is hideous. …” (See, I’m already aligned with Simon.)

7:25 p.m.

David Cook is up. One of this year’s rockers, David is a Missouri resident and bartender hoping to make a difference in the competition. Already, he’s a favorite among many fans — and the judges.

Tonight, David performs Happy Together by the Turtles. This well-known tune certainly was not what I would have expected from the resident rocker. But what would Chris Daughtry sound like singing this song? Maybe not so unlike David. I’m not sure what to think at this point, honestly. I guess it was OK.

“I thought it was good,” Simon said. “I thought you shouted the song a little …”

So far, there haven’t been too many truly negative comments. Maybe the judges are giving contestants a little time to settle into a live audience.

7:34 p.m.

Jason Yeager during his original audition.

Jason Yeager, another contestant we haven’t gotten to learn much about, is up next. The 28-year-old is a singing server, and he took his son to the audition to experience the dream.

Jason’s song choice tonight is Moon River, a classic that’s tough to perform as a little-known musician, especially on a show such as Idol. There’s no doubt he has a voice, but the next Idol? I’m not sure it’s there. At least not at this point. He did have a strong closing, though.

Let’s see what the judges have to say.

“… It’s a tough song to sing, probably tougher than you probably thought,” Randy said. “… You had a couple of problems with that song pitch-wise.”

7:46 p.m.

Robbie Carrico, the guy who once dated Britney Spears, has gone from boy bander to rocker. Tonight, Robbie even mentioned touring with Britney, something that makes him stand out (good or bad) from many others in the competition. He certainly has some professional credit — and he’s not alone — coming into the competition.

His rendition of One is different than any other version I have heard of the song, and it doesn’t really make the bandana-wearing Carrico seem all that rocker-esque. Right now, I can’t really take this guy seriously.

“I think you picked the perfect song for you,” Paula said. “… The vocals, they weren’t over the took, they were right in the pocket where they should be.”

Simon, in his own way, said the performance was the best thus far. He also doubted the rocker vibe Carrico puts off. And I agree.

David Archuleta, a singer who allegedly had a recording contract before making the Idol finals, has certainly been a favorite. The teenager chose Shop Around for his first live song on the show, and it certainly was a good choice. Of course, his young, innocent sound would work on just about any hit from the 1960s. Could David be the next Idol winner? Well, he certainly has the teenage girl and grandma votes cornered.

“You were just born with this gift,” Randy said. “… This dude is just ready to go.”

“When you got it, you got it,” Simon said. “… That was, by a comfortable mile, the best performance of the night so far.”

Without doubt, the judges are right. David is a little giggly and, dare I say, a little unbelievable as the “shy” kid. I’m not sure he’s completely full of himself, but I could see it coming soon. The “Oh, gosh” factor only goes so far with me. Sorry.

8 p.m.

Danny Noriega also was a Hollywood Week finalist during Season 6, but he was cut on the first day. So, could Season 7 be the one for this teen? Starting with Jailhouse Rock during 1960s week may not have been the best choice. The tempo of the song was a little too speedy for my taste, which makes me a little sad. I have to admit Danny is one of my favorites — because he’s young, has potential and isn’t completely full of himself. At least he doesn’t appear to be at this point.

“You know how to have a good time,” Randy said. “… It was an interesting song choice for me for you.”

“Danny, I thought the performance was verging on grotesque,” Simon said. “… The whole performance was hideous.”

I’m not sure I completely agree with Simon, but I do see his point of view. Tonight certainly didn’t showcase Danny’s best vocals; it did, however, get the judges in their first real fight of the night. Oh, it’s going to be good.

8:12 p.m.

Luke Menard at his initial Season 7 audition.

Luke Menard is one of the oldest contestants this season. The 29-year-old auditioned in Season 6 (this seems to be the story of the season) when he went to Memphis and didn’t do so well. This year, in Omaha, he got the golden ticket.

“This opportunity, it’s the chance of a lifetime,” Luke said. “… I came here to become the next American Idol.”

Tonight, his attempt to gain America’s votes came through a performance of Everybody’s Talkin’. It’s, perhaps, a lesser-known song, which could help out. Luke has a soft, simple voice. And good, strong looks to back up his character. But the performance tonight was not a good start for this Idol hopeful.

“In a nutshell, whether you were pitchy or not, it was forgettable,” Simon said. “… Nobody’s going to remember you.”

Next up, Colton Berry. Another competitor who hasn’t seen much air time thus far, Colton may be seen as the guy who stole the spots of a few other favorite contestants this season. So, will the 18-year-old stand out at this point?

Singing Elvis’ Suspicious Minds wearing crazy, bright blue pants (seriously, wardrobe matters, people) is not a great place to start in this competition. And the strange facial expressions? I have to say, at this point, I wouldn’t be surprised if Colton is one of the first to go. But that’s just me.

“It was nice to see a different side of you,” Paula said.

“It was OK; it wasn’t quite as bad as the other Elvis song,” Simon said. “… You have no relevance in today’s charts, in the music industry.”

“That was very karaoke,” Simon added. Ahh, I thought we were going to miss out on that tonight.

8:28 p.m.

Garrett Haley, another teenager in the competition, auditioned for Idol when he and his family was in San Diego on vacation. It seems to be working out for the 17-year-old from Ohio.

Even though he hasn’t been given too much camera time this season, I think Garrett has one of the better voices tonight. He chose a song that allowed him to sing — not just perform — and that’s especially important this early in the show. The Carpenters song Breaking Up Is Hard to Do certainly helped his case, too. Was he the best? Not necessarily. Should he be safe for another week? Absolutely.

“I love the song, but the thing that struck me with this performance here was you didn’t do anything with it,” Randy said. “… You’ve got to bring something new and interesting to it.”

“It was boring, your voice sounded a bit whiny, you looked a bit terrified …” Simon said.

Seriously, I didn’t think it was that bad.

8:39 p.m.

Jason Castro at his Dallas audition.

Jason Castro is taking advantage of this year’s addition of using instruments on stage. The 20-year-old says he only sang a handful of times in public before, well, tonight. So, what will this memorable performance entail?

Jason chose What a Day for a Daydream, and his voice certainly is matched well with the lyrics. Plus, playing a guitar, that definitely sets him apart from his competition. Even though I didn’t know much about this guy before, tonight he really put himself in a place to be one of my favorites this season.

“For me, you did blow me away,” Paula said. “… You picked a song that was absolutely perfect for you.”

“Jason, I thought that was in the top 2 performances of the night,” Simon said. “You, like David, have just got it.”

8:48 p.m.

The last performer of the night is Michael Johns, 29. The Australian still has his native accent, and he certainly seemed to be one of the strongest guys in the competition coming into tonight.

Light My Fire by The Doors is his song of choice. There’s no doubt Michael has the experience; he looks and acts like a seasoned performer on the stage. This easily looks like it could have been his sixth or seventh week in the competition. Personally, I didn’t love it. But it was a great performance.

“You just throw all caution to the wind,” Randy said. “You’re always you. … You were the bomb tonight, baby. That was hot.”

“I would say, Michael, you are the most consistent contestant we’ve had,” Simon said.

WHO GETS MY VOTE: Tonight, I have to give it up for Jason Castro. It’s tough to pick just one, but that’s who can count on getting phone votes from me. Playing the guitar and making the song his own, as Paula would say, made him tonight’s definite standout. (I also may make a few calls for Danny Noriega, who made a bad song choice tonight. He definitely needs to be remembered for his earlier work.)

WHO SHOULD GO: Without question, I think Chikezie Eze and Colton Berry are at major risk for being the two guys eliminated this week. I also think Luke Menard could be in some trouble because of the criticism given to him by the judges.

American Idol, Michael Johns, Danny Noriega, Colton Berry, David Archuleta, Jason Castro, Robbie Carrico, David Cook, Luke Menard, Garrett Haley, Chikezie Eze, Jason Yeager, David Hernandez

Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell greet the top 50 finalists this season to determine who will make the Top 24.

Hollywood Week was rough for some of the 164 finalists during Season 7 of American Idol. And only 50 contestants remain. Tonight they go one by one up the elevator to see who makes the Top 24. It’s time to see.

7:02 p.m.

The judges finally have made their decisions. And the elevator rides begin …

First up is Ronald Hodge. He gets disappointing news, and he must make the ride down the elevator with a “no.”

Nina Shaw also didn’t make the cut. Nor did a few other girls.

But it’s Carly Smithson’s turn. She got turned away in Season 5 after not having proper work permits. The Irish favorite certainly has had a strong week, plus she’s already had a somewhat established career. (I promise to write more on that later.)

Even though Carly was emotional — tears and emotions were running quickly — but she officially became the first Top 24 finalist in Season 7. And certainly she’ll be a favorite.

7:13 p.m.

David Cook becomes the first guy to make the Top 24. He’s definitely the resident male rocker of this year’s competition. As far as the resident rocker chick? Of course Amanda Overmyer made it. How could she not with so much exposure this season?

After a few more disappointed singers take the ride down the elevator with tears in their eyes, it’s David Archuleta’s turn. The 16-year-old also gets a spot in the Top 24. Grandmas and teenager girls everywhere are celebrating. David’s youth and boyish looks certainly will make him a favorite among these two important groups of voters.

7:22 p.m.

Kristy Lee Cook, another singer who has recorded an album in the past, has been saved this season by her renditions of Amazing Grace. Even after a difficult week in Hollywood, she makes the cut. So, what will her past experience mean for her future in the competition?

More important, will her new friend Brooke White make the cut. She also had a bit of a difficult time making it through Hollywood Week, but her “I’ve-never-seen-a-Rated-R-movie” story certainly makes her an interesting one to watch. Plus, she has a beautiful voice.

After getting tears in her eyes before she even makes it off the elevator on the way to see the judges, it appears the pressure could be too much. Brooke sees this as her last chance to become a real recording artist. The good news, for her and her fans, is she’ll make it.

Danny Noriega had fantastic success during Hollywood Week, helping him make the Top 24 this season on American Idol.

Next up is Danny Noriega, who quickly got a “yes” from the judges. Jason Castro, Luke Menard and Alexandrea Lushington also quickly made the cut.

Ramiele Malubay, another one of this year’s more interesting contestants, also got good news. “Sweet little thing, isn’t she?” Simon said as she left the room.

7:34 p.m.

After a few disappointments, Michael Johns takes his turn in the elevator. Much like Danny, Michael’s true talent really shined throughout Hollywood Week, turning the judges heads. And it paid off with a unanimous “yes.”

Syesha Mercado was up next. One of my definite favorites — and I do mean one of my few favorites — she struggled with losing her voice during Hollywood Week. I’m thrilled she’ll be around to compete in the Top 24.

Even though it wasn’t a unanimous vote, Robbie Carrico joins the Top 24. This former boy band member certainly has changed his look and style, and it’s already clear he’s going for the Bo Bice style that worked so well for the Season 4 runner-up.

7:43 p.m.

Garrett Haley, Kady Malloy, Chikezie Eze, Amy Davis, Alaina Whitaker and Jason Yeager were quick to get a “yes,” taking away valuable spots. Next up was Asia’h Epperson, who lost her father just a couple of days before she went to audition for the show.

The emotional journey paid off for Asia’h, as she, too, will be a competing to try and get America’s votes.

Even without Simon’s vote, David Hernandez got the support of Randy and Paula to send him into the next round.

Next up is another of the season’s early favorites, Josiah Leming. His story — living in his car — got him great camera time. But the road ended for the teenager just before making the Top 24. This denial certainly will have fans across the country disappointed. Even before the live show, Josiah was gaining fans throughout the country. Maybe next time …

Even though I haven’t been the biggest fan of Josiah throughout the season, I can’t help but feel a little bad for the kid. Seeing that much disappointment on his face, tears streaming down his cheek, it’s what makes this show so appealing. This means everything to him.

7:54 p.m.

With just two guys and two girls left to hear the news, there’s only room for one of each.  Colton Berry and Kyle Ensley take a seat side by side, waiting to hear the news. … And Colton makes the cut. But Simon still gives Kyle a pat on the back, saying he believes the singer’s performances during Hollywood Week should have given him a chance in the Top 24.

So, what about the girls?

The final two, making the walk together, are Joanne Borgella, the resident plus-size model, and Cardin McKinney, a professional musician who moved to Nashville to try and push her career to the next level.

After a long day, the two women are equally emotionally drained. The good news goes to Joanne, who I must say is one of my other early favorites. I just love the plus-size model story. Plus, she has an incredible voice.

So, before we go — cue Ferras‘ Hollywood’s Not America — there are several more scenes of rejection from the final cuts before the live shows begin. It looks like the rumored Top 24 that leaked last month was filled with truth.

As we move forward, who are your favorites?

American Idol