We have the scorecards, and they are not pretty. According to the returns, there is a lot of grumbling amongst the crowd (or at least by me) about the selections of last night. How can anyone associated with AI have thought that would make for a great show. And on top of that, it followed Mariah Carey week which meant that we had two weeks of slow, mushy ballads. Maybe that’s great if your Clay Aiken or David Archuleta, but for the viewing public, it borders on torture. How ’bout we just take the soundtrack from “Footloose” and have at it next week? If anybody gets knocked out at this rate, you’ll have to wake us up to know.

I’ll have more to say later as the show goes live.

Alright, it’s time to knock out another pretender.  It’s not exactly live tonight, but that’s the beauty of DVR.  I’ve had my own rehearsal commitments and real life takes priority.  But now I can settle in for the next 40 minutes (another benefit of DVR) and see who’s done.

Worst Performance Last Night

• Jason Castro - Hands down the worst.  He’s almost become nails on a chalk board to me, but he’s proven to be pretty resilient, so who knows.
• Brooke White - I actually thought her performance was not bad, but I think her screw-up at the start of her song will cost her.
• Carly Smithson - She had easily the most energetic song in a night full of snoozers, but she still didn’t really connect with it…. or me.

WHO’S IN TROUBLE?

• David Cook & David Archuleta - Easily the two favorites and in no trouble.  The probably figure everybody else knows that too, so they’ll just get it out of the way…. go take a seat and then we’ll let the other four mud wrestle.  DC makes a really interesting comment about the most unpredicatable thing he could do with his last song was to be predictable.  Kinda funny.  Oh my goodness….THEY’RE BOTH SAFE!!!  I can’t believe it.
• Mercado and White - Sounds like a law firm.  They are either both in the bottom or they’re going to split them.  I think Brooke is hitting the bottom.  Stunner….Brooke is safe.  Well, Mercado has been a permanent fixture at the bottom, she sang first, and she was at the bottom of the power rankings, so it all adds up to the bottom three.  but I’m really surprised Brooke made it.  She must have gotten credit instead of criticism from the fans.
• JC & Smithson - Obviously both are in the bottom.  I’m really tired of JC and his bizarre stylings, but I’m also ready to see Smithson go back to Ireland as well.  Well, it looks like JC has become my new KLC….still kicking when he should be done.
• Mercado or Smithson - Mercado has flat out beat the socks off of Smithson the last two weeks, so if there is any justice (and I use the term loosely since JC is still alive) then Smithson will get the hook and book a tee time at the nearest links.

OTHER STUFF

• Clay Aiken is doing “Spamalot”?  I think my desire to see the show just took a couple of hits.
• Paula Abdul has no reservations about standing and dancing…. ever.
• Leona Lewis - Looks like Cowell has another star on his hands

AND THE LOSER OF ROUND 7 IS………

Carly Smithson.   It looks like she will not get her second chance at a record contract after all.  how many times did I say she had a great voice but I wasn’t getting it?  Something was missing every week.  She had one shining moment during Dolly Parton week, but nothing else that ever really connected.  The judges may say that it’s just beginning, but I really don’t think so.

And……  JC lives on.