American Idol

The Top 3 finalists made their way back home for the first time since making the American Idol finals, and it appears David Cook got the warmest of warm welcomes in Kansas City.

While there, Cook performed a pair of concerts, was grand marshal of a parade in his honor and performed at a Kansas City Royals game. It appears the Midwest is behind their own David Cook, simply based on these pictures from the festivities.

David Cook, American Idol

That all-access pass Jeff Archuleta has had throughout Season 7 of American Idol just got yanked.

The father of the youngest Top 3 finalists has crossed the line one too many times this year. So producers have taken away his access to rehearsals. Reports have surfaced that Jeff, father to David, finally pushed it too far when his decision to change the lyrics on Tuesday’s show — altering Stand By Me to include a verse of Sean Kingston’s Beautiful Girls — ended up costing the show more money. The extra song cost Idol extra royalty fees.

Of course, FOX has declined to comment. And Jeff seems to be nowhere in sight now, which probably is the smartest thing this stage dad could do to save his son’s chance at making it to the May 20-21 finale. Of course, America likely will feel sorry for little David, just because he has a dad who is stepping on his chances.

All three finalists were celebrated in their respective hometowns on Friday, part of what will be shown during this week’s episodes. The younger David returned to his high school in Murray, Utah for “David Archuleta Day,” while David Cook returned to the Kansas City area and Syesha traveled home to Florida.

American Idol, David Archuleta

Even though he started the season off strong, Jason Castro couldn’t save himself this week on American Idol. His song choices, ultimately, were bad. And his performances weren’t much better.

I’m just glad America actually voted on talent this week — the Top 3 finalists, a pair of Davids and a Syesha, certainly are deserving of their spots.

While Jason was interesting way back in the beginning of Season 7, the last handful of weeks have shown him slipping more and more into that place where even he can’t believe what’s coming out of his mouth. This week, that included versions of Mr. Tambourine Man and I Shot the Sheriff. Um, how could he have survived?

“Jason, I’d pack your suitcase,” Simon responded after last night’s performance.

So, that means the remaining three will make their hometown visits this weekend. We already know big plans are underway for David Cook in Kansas City, and I’m sure celebrations will be equally large for David Archuleta and Syesha Mercado, as well.

American Idol, David Cook, David Archuleta, Syesha Mercado, Jason Castro, Simon Cowell

David Cook performs Tuesday night on American Idol. Plans are underway in Missouri to celebrate the finalist’s success this Friday.

If he survives tonight — and he will — David Cook will be welcomed home to Missouri with a celebration unlike many others.

According to the Kansas City Star, plans are underway for the finalists to play a free concert at 11:30 a.m. Friday in the Power & Light District. The concert will be followed by a homecoming parade, the David Cook Homecoming Celebration Parade and Concert to be exact, in his real hometown, nearby Blue Springs. The parade is scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m., and that concert is sold out.

Blue Springs is so thrilled with their hometown boy that the city even has set up a David Cook hotline for news and information. If you’re interested, the number is 816-655-0490.

While his day already will be quite packed, Cook also is expected to be at the Kansas City Royals game Friday night. He’s on deck to throw out the first pitch, and he may even sing a version of Take Me Out to the Ball Game. If, for some odd reason, Cook gets the boot tonight, all plans for his homecoming celebration will be canceled.

American Idol, David Cook

It was another slightly uncomfortable night for the four American Idol finalists still standing. Syesha Mercado was brought to tears. David Cook lost his groove. Jason Castro was, well, a disaster. And David Archuleta continued with his robotic performances to try and secure his spot in the finals.

Season 7 is a bit played out at this point. It seems obvious David Cook should win, but it was David Archuleta that had the best week this time around. And it was Syesha Mercado who took the second-place spot, based on talent and this week alone. If votes are based on that, it certainly will be Jason Castro who packs his bags this week, as Simon Cowell suggested he do.

But this is Idol, the popularity contest to end all popularity contests. Not even Miss America could compete with this type of popularity voting, really. This leads me to wonder if Jason will end up being saved by the throngs of fans who adore his dreads. And if Syesha, though a definite contender in recent weeks, will fall victim to the fact she’s been a bottom two or bottom three finalists for several weeks now.

All in all, though, tonight left a lot to be desired. There were no majorly impressive performances. I think maybe I’m just waiting for some kind of true wow factor to come through with anyone. And I’m not getting it. There’s no way producers still can be calling this the best season ever. Because, if you look at any of these finalists as a possible winner, they just don’t compare to at least two or three previous winners. But that’s just my opinion.

American Idol, Jason Castro, David Cook, David Archuleta, Simon Cowell, Syesha Mercado

And Paula Abdul fumbles, again. That’s been the headline coming from this week’s episodes of American Idol. It’s almost as if people forgot Brooke White went home.

But the quick slip-up and double-critique of Jason Castro after he only sang one song somehow has taken the big bold print when it comes to Idol headlines. But, even though this is mistake No. 4,872 from Abdul this season alone, executives say she isn’t going anywhere.

“Why would we get rid of Paula?” Cecile Frot-Coutaz asked The Associated Press during an interview this week. Frot-Coutaz is CEO of FremantleMedia North America and an Idol executive producer.

“I love that everyone was talking about it,” she said. “It was so unexpected. It was something that took up 2 seconds of airtime. You’d think there was no other news on television.”

This type of hype is what makes Idol so appealing — because people get worked up over things that don’t really matter. I have to admit, personally, I’m kind of getting bored with this season, so it’s these goofy little sidebars that keep it interesting to watch.

American Idol, Paula Abdul, Brooke White, Jason Castro

After a few tough weeks, Brooke White was this week’s casualty on American Idol.

Neil Diamond didn’t sit well with American Idol’s Top 5 contestants. In fact, it seemed like one of the more difficult weeks this season.

But America sided with the three guys left — David Archuleta, David Cook and Jason Castro were safe. Syesha Mercado and Brooke White found themselves, once again, in the bottom two. It’s been a tough season for these ladies, who both have had their fair share of struggles.

At the end of the night, it was Brooke who fell short this week. And that’s certainly how it should have been. Still, I’m not sure how Jason Castro continues to remain clear of the bottom of the pack. I’m certain his end is near — I guess it has to be since there only are four contestants left.

While Brooke started off rather strong this season, her confidence seemed to get in the way of many of her performances. Things really started going downhill for her a few weeks ago, right around the time she missed her sister’s wedding. It seems her emotions may have gotten in the way of her ability to keep moving forward.

Still, Brooke was one of the most likable contestants this season, and she likely will land on her feet after the show. Her sweet, innocent style — and the shoeless piano-playing charm — may be enough to get her a recording deal, anyway. Only time will tell.

American Idol, Brooke White, Syesha Mercado, David Cook, David Archuleta, Jason Castro, Neil Diamond

Judge Paula Abdul, right, gives a hug to contestant Carly Smithson after last week’s results show.

After reading reports this morning from last night’s episode of American Idol, it sounds like I really missed a show. What happened with Paula Abdul? Is it really possible for her to be even more confused than normal?

But after reading several other blogs and reviews, it sounds like the votes still should be coming in for David Cook and David Archuleta to stick around for a while, while Jason Castro and Brooke White still are standing on shaky ground. Syesha Mercado remains to be standing somewhere in the middle.

Your thoughts on the contestants? Or that wacky Paula Abdul?

American Idol, Paula Abdul, Jason Castro, Brooke White, David Cook, David Archuleta, Syesha Mercado

I missed tonight’s episode — I don’t want to talk about it — but I hope you all will fill in the blanks. Who sang what Neil Diamond songs? Who was the best? Who should go?

Feel free to share your thoughts. I will be looking forward to seeing what I missed.

American Idol

Carly Smithson performs Jesus Christ Superstar during her final week on American Idol.

America, what were you thinking? Everything you did this week was wrong. American Idol should have kicked off either Brooke White or Jason Castro tonight.

But that’s not how the votes fell.

No, instead, the popularity contest certainly took control — because the better vocal performances last night were Carly Smithson and Syesha Mercado, who were in the bottom two. Ultimately, it was the end of the road for Carly.

Both of these contestants — the strongest two female singers this season — deserved another week on the show. In the end, Syesha likely will become a Broadway performer. And Carly certainly will get another recording contract. She has an incredible talent, and she was a leading contender from the beginning of the season. Unfortunately, America goofed up on voting this season.

“It must be a bit of a popularity vote this week,” Randy said.

Yes, Randy is right. Not only was it a popularity vote this week, but Carly should have ended up in this competition in the Top 3. But things will be OK for this one. Trust me on that.

American Idol, Carly Smithson, Syesha Mercado

Kristy Lee Cook, Brooke White and Syesha Mercado rounded out last week’s bottom three contestants. After Cook’s elimination, the other two women were left with four other contestants — David Cook, David Archuleta, Jason Castro and Carly Smithson.

After last week’s exit of Kristy Lee Cook, the Top 6 American Idol finalists are left standing. This week, they have mentor Andrew Lloyd Webber — and all of America, of course — to please.

7:01 p.m.

The band shifted positions this week, just a month before the new Idol winner will be crowned. Tonight, the finalists are up against a huge catalog of music from Braodway composer Andrew Lloyd Webber. This could be a huge challenge for the contestants, even though many former Idols have been Broadway bound after the show.

7:06 p.m.

Syesha Mercado is first to take the stage with One Rock ‘n’ Roll Too Many from Starlight Express. This is a perfect theme week for Syesha, who has a bit of an acting background, and certainly has the attitude for theater. While she’s delivering a commendable performance, it may not have been the most challenging of song choices. All in all, though, Syesha brought the look, the attitude and the vocal power tonight.

“This may surprise you, but I feel, tonight, not only is this your element — I think you could be a huge Broadway star — I think that was your best performance to date so far,” Randy said.

“This is your happy place, and you’re real good at it,” Paula said.

“Syesha, that was very sexy,” Simon said. “I think this was one of your strongest performances so far.”

7:15 p.m.

He’s still not so good with the interviews, but Jason Castro may be able to bring something interesting to Memories from Cats. The song certainly is one of the most popular hits from Broadway, and Jason is doing his thing with it. He has a distinct sound, but it doesn’t work for a male singer. This is a powerful hit song most often sung by female leads.

“Musically, vocally for me, it was a train wreck,” Randy said. “It’s just not the kind of song … it’s just not for you.”

“The reality was, it came over as a young guy being forced by your mom and dad to sing a song at a wedding you didn’t want to sing,” Simon said. “You were miserable throughout. I was partly miserable throughout.”

7:26 p.m.

She was in the bottom three last week, but will Brooke White be able to climb out of that spot this week? Her song choice is You Must Love Me from the movie version of Evita. This week could be the kiss of death for Brooke, who messed up her performance and had to, once again, for the second time this season, start over at the beginning of the song. If she survives this week, it will be a big shock. At this point in the competition, it’s just not OK to have the big of a goof-up moment.

Sorry, Brooke. But this should be the end for you.

“For me, this wasn’t great,” Randy said. “The one thing that I did like that you did was, at least you did listen to Andrew Lloyd Webber.”

“You must never start and stop,” Paula said. “Having said that, this is the biggest show in the biggest platform … what I did love about this performance, Brooke, was that you didn’t overact.”

“This is why I love live TV,” Simon said. “It was so dramatic at the beginning. The trouble was, Brooke, it threw you. … This is a tricky one. I think you’re going to be very disappointed when you watch this back.”

7:37 p.m.

David Archuleta certainly has the talent to tackle Broadway. The youngest contestant’s song choice this week is Think of Me, another popular Broadway hit written for a female lead. The Phantom of the Opera song possibly is Andrew Lloyd Webber’s best-known work. David’s arrangement of the song is an updated, much more pop-friendly version of the tune. And it’s a great move, I think, for David to put himself back in direct competition with David Cook, who has been stealing the spotlight in recent weeks. No worry, little David, this showing proves you really do deserve the praise you’ve been given. I’m sure your dad will be thrilled.

“What is really cool is you’re exactly what this show is about,” Randy said. “Dude, it was the bomb. This boy is the one to beat.”

“I think it was absolutely perfect, David,” Paula said.

“David, I thought it was pleasant,” Simon said. “One of your weakest performances over the live shows. It’s just not one of those performances you’re ever going to remember.”

7:47 p.m.

Coming off of her best performance in a while, Carly Smithson may not seem fit for Broadway. She is an interesting talent, though, so she may surprise us all. Her song choice was All I Ask of You from Phantom. But Andrew Lloyd Webber wasn’t having it — he suggested she go with her other choice, Jesus Christ Superstar. Ladies and gents, I think this could work …

Look out! Carly Smithson is back, people. Mr. Webber was right. This certainly was a brilliant song selection for Carly — the remaining resident chick rocker. She has the pipes to really wail and show some attitude. I think it works well for her. What about those three celebrity judges?

“It’s no surprise to me that the bigger voices are doing better tonight,” Randy said. “It was definitely good, and I like the outfit. I think the outfit’s kind of fly.”

“I love what you did in the chorus,” Paula said.

“It was actually one of my favorite performances of the night,” Simon said.

7:54 p.m.

Rounding out the night is David Cook. His song choice is The Music of the Night, which is another famous tune from Phantom. Do these people know not of Webber’s other major hits? Apparently not. But there’s no question David really could make something quite special happen with this song choice — or any for that matter.

OK, I have to say it was a brilliant song choice for David. It’s well-known, he’s well-liked and he, well, is making it happen. It’s practically flawless, really. That high note? That was the vote-getter of the night, if you ask me. There’s something about David’s performances that just put him on a completely different level from his competitors.

“I said it before, I’ll say it again,” Randy said. “If you can sing, you can sing anything. Dude, that was an amazing vocal performance.”

“I thought it was fantastic,” Paula said.

“David, I think you’ve made the most of the song,” Simon said. “This isn’t the side of you I like, but you made the most of the song you were given.”

WHO GETS MY VOTE: David Cook. He may get my votes from here on out. Why? He deserves to win this entire show.

WHO SHOULD GO: Sorry, again, Brooke White. But your time has expired. Syesha Mercado proved she deserves to be here and you, well, you choked. And that’s not OK, no matter what Simon says. In fact, if you don’t go, Brooke, it’s time for Jason Castro to say bye-bye.

American Idol, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Jason Castro, David Archuleta, Syesha Mercado, David Cook, Brooke White, Carly Smithson

Kristy Lee Cook couldn’t survive the bottom three for another week. The country-inspired contestant was the latest casualty in American Idol’s seventh season.

American Idol is winding down. Only the best of the best are left standing, fighting for the Season 7 crown.

After a night filled with performances, including One Sweet Day from the Top 7 finalists, a return from Idol alum Elliott Yamin and another performance from celebrity mentor Mariah Carey, the bottom three were announced. After a handful of pretty good to great performances, the bottom three this week were Syesha Mercado, Brooke White and Kristy Lee Cook.

It was a pretty incredible week for Syesha, who was the first of the bottom three to be sent to safety. The three girls also are roommates, making it even more emotional for all of them. And, even though she’s been bouncing back a little bit week after week, this week was the end of the road for Kristy Lee Cook.

While she started strong, Kristy Lee struggled for several weeks after making it into the Top 24. She’s found herself in the bottom three on several Wednesday nights and, this week, even though she did OK, it certainly was her turn to go. I’m glad, though I may be alone on this, that Syesha was able to stick around for another week.

The good news this week is that people actually may be seeing that Carly is the strongest female left in the competition. Because, while I like Brooke, I think there’s no question Carly is the strongest female in this year’s contest. As the Top 6 look ahead to Andrew Lloyd Webber’s week in the guest mentor spotlight, they all need to step it up.

Even though this season is being promoted as the best yet, I’m struggling to really see any one person shine week after week after week. If there is one of those people, that person certainly is David Cook. But, are you ready to give him the crown?

American Idol, Mariah Carey, Kristy Lee Cook, Syesha Mercado, Brooke White

Mariah Carey performs during last week’s Idol Gives Back charity event. This week the Top 7 Idol finalists take on Carey’s hits.

She’s the diva to end all divas — no, I’m not talking about Paula Abdul. It’s Mariah Carey week, people. This could be amazing — or tragic — but the time has come.

7:04 p.m.

First up is David Archuleta, singing I Believe. This week was almost meant for David, who clearly can reach some notes his male counterparts don’t stand a chance of reaching. However, when he tried to hit the highest notes in his arrangement, he didn’t quite make it. Still, he shouldn’t have any trouble sailing through this week.

“I was little worried about tonight … and you probably picked one of the toughest ones,” Randy said. “… You can sing anything. That was the bomb, baby.”

“It must feel great for Mariah to be able to hear your interpretation of her song,” Paula said.

“I have to agree,” Simon said. “I thought it was very, very good. I don’t think we’re in for a lot of laughs tonight, though.”

7:13 p.m.

Carly Smithson is up next. Her Mariah song choice is Without You, which should be pretty incredible. Tonight definitely could be her chance to really shine and get herself out of the bottom three. Instead of trying to reach the heights of Mariah, Carly was smart in giving a nice, subtle performance. Still, it was entertaining and a performance deserving of keeping her around for another week.

“I liked that you challenged yourself with this big song,” Randy said. “The only thing is you’ve gotta believe and trust in yourself that you’ve got that lower range, too.”

“I actually think that, I liked that you showed some vocal restraint,” Paula said.

“I really wanted to hear you sing this song, even before Mariah week,” Simon said. “… Now, the difficult part. Could you pull it off tonight? I didn’t think you did. Sorry, Carly. I think you’re capable of it. … I thought it was an OK version.”

7:23 p.m.

Now it’s Syesha Mercado, who could really shine this week. This type of music really is best fit for her. But is she good enough to really shine? We’re about to see … Syesha chose Vanishing, which is an older Mariah tune. It’s probably a good song choice, since it’s a little less known. As far as female contestants, Syesha is closest to being able to show a range similar to the superstar mentor. I think it’s definitely a decent performance, but she’s going to lose points for the comparison factor.

“I was really afraid when I heard you were going to sing that song, but I’ll tell you something, you did a good job all things considered,” Randy said.

“This week, I think you’ve been extremely smart,” Paula said. “… You’re smart because you picked a song not many people know and you’re not compared to.”

“I think it, once again, technically, it was very, very good indeed,” Simon said.

7:32 p.m.

In a sparkling outfit, Brooke White is taking the stage. They’re milking the fact Brooke missed her sister’s wedding this weekend. Brooke chose one of the toughest Mariah songs ever, Hero. It’s one of the more recognizable songs from Mariah — perhaps her biggest song — and taking it on could prove to be a great challenge.

Brooke’s performance, including playing along on the piano, certainly is her own version. It’s good she didn’t try to mirror Mariah’s incredible talent. But, while it’s a really good performance, I’m not sure it has enough power behind it to really wow the voting public. All in all, though, it was much better than I expected. Just a little dull.

“I like the fact that you brought the whole singer/songwriter to the thing,” Randy said. “I was digging it until the bridge. … I appreciate the singer/songwriter look.”

“Every ounce of you is totally authentic to who you are,” Paula said. “You’re identifiable.”

“Brooke, I don’t think you had much choice other than to do what you did,” Simon said. “Having said that, it was a bit like ordering a hamburger and only getting the bun. In other words, the vital ingredients, the bit in the middle, was missing.”

Now it’s Kristy Lee Cook’s turn. She’s taking on Forever, which happens to be one of my favorite Mariah songs of all times. That said, I’ll try to be a fair critic. Even though she is making crazy faces, I have to say Kristy Lee really nailed this one. In fact, I think it’s the best performance of the night. I’m not sure if it’s going to be enough to garner votes from those fans who haven’t been voting for her in the past, but it certainly is a deserving performance in my opinion. No, it’s not as amazing as Mariah, but it was clean, clear and crisp.

“I didn’t think that was amazing, but I gotta tell you you definitely started stepping up at the end,” Randy said.

“You know what, it wasn’t just the end,” Paula said. “I think you’re a very smart girl. … Kristy Lee Cook … I’m like blown away.”

“You didn’t give me chills,” Simon said. “I think you managed with what you could. It was a little bit whiny at times. … It just wasn’t great.”

Maybe it wasn’t great, but it was great for Kristy Lee. And maybe that’s what I heard.

7:46 p.m.

I’ve been intrigued by what David Cook would choose to sing this week since I heard Mariah would be the guest mentor. His song choice is somewhat surprising. Choosing Always Be My Baby even surprised Mariah. I’m not sure what I would have picked for David as an alternative, but I didn’t think this was going to turn out all so well. But it actually is pretty interesting. It sounds a little like Lifehouse, but I think David certainly “worked it out” as Randy said. He really drove home the song at the end, which solidified his performance and pure, raw talent. If you’re a guy who can sing Mariah Carey songs and make them not sound like Mariah Carey songs, well, then maybe you deserve an Idol crown. I’m just saying.

“Dude, you know what? I think more than almost anyone on this show right now, you’re ready to make an album,” Randy said.

“That’s pretty awesome,” Paula said. “That song could be on a movie soundtrack right now, it really could.”

“David, it was like sort of coming out of karaoke hell into a breath of fresh air,” Simon said. “It was original. It was daring. It stood out by a mile. And this is the sign of a great potential artist, someone who takes risks.”

7:56 p.m.

Jason Castro closes out one of the most interesting episodes of the season — at least when it comes to the mentor. Mariah gave Jason some advice for his rendition of I Don’t Wanna Cry. While I have not been the biggest fan of Jason’s performance the last couple of weeks, I do think this week was full of interest. He did the best job making a Mariah Carey song not sound like a Mariah Carey song — even better than David Cook, who certainly stole the show. But this performance should really keep Jason in the competition.

“For me, I didn’t really love that,” Randy said. “I felt like I was at a weird beach luau.”

“Jason, I’d love to be at the luau, listening all night long,” Paula said. “You’re getting so confident and in that zone.”

“Jason, I’m going to have to agree with Paula,” Simon said. “I thought that wasn’t the best vocal of the night. Having said that, it was identified with you … it was a cool version.”

WHO GETS MY VOTE: Without question, the “best of the night” honor goes directly to David Cook. There’s not another David (or Jason) in the competition who can compare. If you doubted the older David in the competition deserved to win this show, tonight should have changed that.

WHO SHOULD GO: This is going to be a tough week, and it may even result in another surprising elimination. I have to say, after hearing the recap performances, Kristy Lee Cook may be in trouble. But Brooke White wasn’t exactly a standout, either.

American Idol, Mariah Carey, David Cook, Brooke White, David Archuleta, Syesha Mercado, Jason Castro, Kristy Lee Cook, Carly Smithson

American Idol finalist Michael Johns, left, was eliminated tonight from the Season 7 competition.

It was a bit of a shocker. Or was it? Michael Johns was eliminated tonight, leaving seven singers left to fight for the American Idol Season 7 title.

In a week with an extra-long Idol Gives Back campaign episode, there was a little uncertainty on whether a contestant actually would be eliminated. Last season, the charity campaign week spared any contestant from being eliminated. But that wasn’t the case this year, and Michael Johns fell victim to the lowest number of votes.

Johns was joined in the bottom three by Carly Smithson and Syesha Mercado. The other five contestants on the show were the first called to the stage, and Ryan told them one by one they all were safe. Kristy Lee Cook was the final contestant to get a seat with the top contestants, leaving the bottom three waiting behind the scenes.

When they did take center stage, you may have believed it would be Syesha who was going to be shown the door. You even may have thought it would be Carly. But Michael? I don’t know that a lot of people saw that coming. I have to admit, personally, I haven’t been a huge fan of Michael this season, even though he did have an incredible week last week when Dolly Parton was the guest mentor.

Overall, though, I just didn’t enjoy his performances. There was something missing for me. And apparently that something maybe was missing for much of the rest of the American Idol voting public.

Chris Brown and Jordin Sparks sing their duet, No Air, on American Idol.

The best part of tonight’s elimination, though, was the performance of No Air by Season 6 winner Jordin Sparks and duet partner Chris Brown. Even though producers are saying this is the best season ever — they say that every year — I think Jordin proves that may not be the case. Because I don’t think there’s a single Season 7 finalist who has those kind of pipes. There may be a couple who can sing, but past talent should not be discounted. That’s all I’m saying.

American Idol, Michael Johns, Chris Brown, Jordin Sparks, Kristy Lee Cook, Syesha Mercado, Carly Smithson

It was charity begging at its finest as celebrities gathered around the Kodak Theatre for a night of asking Americans (and Canadians, too) for pledges to help raise money as part of the second annual Idol Gives Back campaign.

There were American Idol contestants, former winners and a whole lot of celebrities. It was a recipe for a night like the Oscars — long-winded talks on stage and a few bad fashion choices. Of course, with Idol Gives Back there’s a little added singing. So, here’ s a look in pictures at tonight’s big fund-raising effort, which actually took place Sunday. Oh, and if you still want, there’s time to make a pledge.

For me, Sarah Silverman’s appearance was the highlight of the night. I think she’s a stellar comedian. So offensive, and so funny. She knows when and how and where to push all the right buttons — even at a charity event. What more do you want?

David Cook joined fellow Top 8 Idol finalists to sing a couple of songs. I thought it was interesting — and I really liked it, actually — when the group gathered around the piano to sing Seasons of Love from Rent. It’s a great song, and I couldn’t wait to hear who would sing the big female vocal part … and I was really surprised it was Kristy Lee Cook, at least in the beginning. What I can’t understand is the all-white outfits the contestants wore. Haven’t we been through this?

It’s Annie Lennox. Of course it was incredible. She’s timeless.

Carrie Underwood showed up fresh from bridesmaid duties, apparently. Aside from the Hypercolor-inspired dress, her performance was good. It certainly wasn’t her best, but it was far from terrible.

Speaking of terrible, am I the only one who is questioning Fergie’s choice of outfits? What’s up with the spandex-meets-pleather pants? I just didn’t get it. To make matters worse, the outfit initially was topped off with a matching jacket and some bizarre skirt-like device that added just a splash of color.

And the award for the longest skit without a point goes to … Miley Cyrus and Billy Crystal. Maybe I missed it, but I knew in the first few seconds it was going to be a “Who are you?” “No, who are you?” skit. But it still went on for 10 minutes. Waste of time.

Robin Williams‘ skit was not much better. It was entertaining that he used a couple of plays on words to sneak in some inappropriate language on the family friendly show.

And, finally, Mariah Carey, the diva herself. While I generally think Mariah is about the most amazing vocalist on the planet, I’m not sure why she had to cover her own ears when she was singing. I mean, c’mon, how do you expect everyone at home to listen when you can’t even stand the sound of your voice? Of course, her voice still is incredible. It’s just that she didn’t actually sing too much of the song. And was there a fan blowing her hair? And that sparkling microphone? Give me a break, Mariah. You’re making it hard for me to defend Glitter. (No, seriously. That movie wasn’t that terrible. Did you even see it?)

American Idol, Sarah Silverman, Billy Crystal, Miley Cyrus, Robin Williams, Mariah Carey, Fergie, David Cook, Carrie Underwood, Annie Lennox, Kristy Lee Cook