April 30 Standings

1. Ryan – 248 points (279 max) – no change

2. Stephen - 245 points (288 max) – no change

3. Dave L. - 244 points (275 max) – up from 5th

4. Jennie L. - 241 points (284 max) – down from 3rd

5. Jane – 236 points (279 max) – down from 4th

T-6. Jaime - 235 points (278 max) – up from T-15th
T-6. Suzy M. - 235 points (278 max) – up from T-15th

8. Lisa B. - 233 points (287 max) - up from 19th

9. Meredith - 233 points (276 max) - down from 6th

10. Julie H. - 232 points (263 max) - down from 7th

11. Amy Y. - 231 points (281 max) – down from 8th

12. Amy L-P. - 230 points (263 max) – down from 10th

T-13. Aneesha - 228 points (261 max) – down from 12th
T-13. Stephanie - 228 points (261 max) – down from 11th

15. Julie R. - 228 points (238 max) – down from 13th

16. Jan W. - 226 points (280 max) – down from 14th

17. Kara - 226 points (259 max) – no change

18. Damian - 225 points (258 max) – no change

T-19. Don - 223 points (277 max) – up from 20th
T-19. Michelle - 223 points (277 max) - up from 31st

21. Katie K. - 223 points (266 max) – up from 33rd

22. Mike L. - 222 points (265 max) – down from 21st

23. Liz - 222 points (253 max) – up from 35th

24. Lisa S. - 222 points (232 max) - down from 9th

25. Alieda - 221 points (254 max) - down from T-22nd

26. Denis - 219 points (262 max) – down from 25th

27. Marcia - 218 points (261 max) - down from 26th

28. Corona - 218 points (251 max) – down from 27th

29. Karen - 217 points (250 max) – down from 28th

30. Suzanne - 215 points (248 max) – down from 29th

31. Scott - 214 points (268 max) – down from 30th

32. Cathleen - 213 points (256 max) – up from 34th

T-33. Brian - 212 points (245 max) – down from T-22nd
T-33. Rich – 212 points (245 max) – up from T-37th
T-33. Will B. - 212 points (245 max) – up from T-37th

36. Kristin - 212 points (233 max) - down from 24th

37. Marybeth & Lucy - 209 points (242 max) – up from 41st

38. Jenny M. - 206 points (249 max) – up from 53rd

39. Cindy - 205 points (259 max) – up from 43rd

40. Jan M. - 205 points (238 max) - down from 32nd

41. Team 'Tini - 205 points (215 max) – up from 44th

T-42. Jen S. - 204 points (237 max) – down from 36th
T-42. Melissa - 204 points (237 max) – up from 46th

44. Jean Claude - 204 points (235 max) - up from 45th

45. Matty - 203 points (236 max) - up from 47th

46. Yvonne - 202 points (235 max) – down from 39th

47. Team Ringey - 202 points (212 max) – up from 48th

48. Team O'Brien - 201 points (234 max) - down from 40th

49. Matt - 200 points (254 max) – no change

50. Anh - 200 points (243 max) – no change

51. Mandy - 200 points (233 max) – down from 42nd

52. Brooke - 199 points (238 max) - up from 54th

53. Stacie - 199 points (226 max) - up from 55th

54. Paul F. - 193 points (214 max) – up from 58th

55. Jon - 191 points (245 max) – up from 60th

56. Kathryn - 190 points (223 max) – down from 51st

57. Michael W. - 189 points (232 max) – up from 61st

58. Andy - 188 points (209 max) – down from 52nd

59. Dina - 185 points (239 max) – up from 62nd

60. Emily - 185 points (218 max) – down from 56th

61. Missy - 185 points (206 max) – down from 57th

62. Peter - 183 points (204 max) – down from 59th

63. Lance - 179 points (233 max) – up from 64th

64. Paul P. - 178 points (232 max) - up from 66th

65. Sean - 176 points (219 max) – up from 69th

66. Julie W. - 173 points (204 max) – up from 71st

67. Katy L. - 171 points (214 max) – up from 72nd

68. Judy - 171 points (204 max) – down from 63rd

69. Dave S. - 170 points (191 max) – down from 65th

70. Cristina - 169 points (223 max) – up from 74th

71. Jill - 169 points (202 max) – down from 67th

72. Will A. – 169 points (179 max) – down from 68th

73. Kendra - 166 points (187 max) – down from 70th

74. Julie K. - 161 points (182 max) - down from 73rd

75. Mike & Suzy - 157 points (211 max) – up from 76th

76. Chris F. – 157 points (167 max) – down from 75th

77. Mark - 126 points (MAXED OUT) – no change

78. Neisha - 119 points (MAXED OUT) – down from 76th

April 29 Viewer's Guide - Neil Diamond!

Dear Debbie,

Thanks for your response to my on-line pics. I'll be sure to send along more revealing shots once I've determined that we are indeed a good match. I'm really into dancing, stiff cocktails, and…

Wait. I think I just screwed up. I would like to begin my post over again.




I'm so excited about Neil Diamond week that I'm having a hard time keeping my blue jeans on, but before I get to this upcoming week's show, I'd like to comment on the mess that was last week's episode.

First off, the decision to have Syesha and Carly sing their songs again was the perfect way to tell America that they are a bunch of morons. No one could have watched the elimination show and thought that the two of them were the two worst performers of the week. And all the while, Brooke sat there on the safety couch smiling her half-winsome/ half-demonic smile as her eyes glittered with unshed tears. I wonder if she was thinking what I was thinking at that moment – 'I'm the luckiest Farrah Fawcett in the world. And America hasn't figured out yet that I only have five notes in my range. But if I can only put a catch in my voice when I go for the "high" notes, they'll never know.'

It was also fun to watch Jason Castro try and talk again. I've stopped trying to determine whether he is a) stoned all the time or b) really, really dumb. I think there is a little, no a lot, from column A and column B that makes him really fun to watch when he isn't singing. Too bad there is nothing fun about watching him singing. Did anyone else see him yawn his way through a segment before cutting to commercial? Fantastic. Get him some cheez-it and another bong-hit! Apparently, he was sick last week… at least that's what his dreadhead fan-club has stated. Don't worry, you can send him a get-well card here.


I have to admit that we here at American Idol Headquarters are mourning the loss of Carly Smithson. Sure, she isn't really "American", but man, she has pipes! Maybe she shouldn't have blasphemed her way through her 1:30 chance to shine. She rocked the song so hard that I didn't think the voters would notice that one of the lines she repeated was "Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, who are you? What have you sacrificed?" And then I remember that the Mormons keeping Brooke and David A alive with their votes probably wouldn't appreciate the song choice.

I'm also glad that Syesha survived another week. Not to be too crass, but as my co-worker put it so nicely, "she has a body to beat the band!" I don't even know what that line means, but I think I agree. Va-va-voom.

We all know that the finals are going to come down to the Davids. I was bored out of my skull during David Cook's rendition of "Music of the Night" and although I found my Christian Rock sensibilities appreciating the subtle groove of "Think of Me" by David Archuleta, it didn't knock my socks off as much as I would have hoped for Broadway week. Still, even when they aren't at their best, David A and David C deserve to make it through all the way.



As we turn our sights to this week's show, I hope I'm not alone in my excitement. I mean, Neil Diamond? This is the artist that spawned such fandom that even Oscar-nominated super-comedies pay tribute to Lord Diamond's musical prowess.


Having Andrew Lloyd Weber and Neil Diamond back-to-back is like seeing evolution happen. You take one of the world's ugliest humans and make him only slightly better looking, and you have the last two mentors on American Idol.




Even if they don't rely on Neil's most famous songs like "Soggy Pretzels", "Porcupine Pie", and "Crunchy Granola Suite", I think we're all in for a delight. Oh Carly, how we'll miss the opportunity to have heard you rock the immigrant anthem, "America". You could have taken those key changes to a whole new level and powered through the money notes. We certainly know that Brooke can't do it and I honestly can't remember what Syesha sounds like.

In my heart of hearts, I would love to see a "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" duet with Brooke and Jason Castro. And then I would love to see them throw darts at each other's glassy eyes. Maybe one of Jason's dreads can come off in his hand and he can throw it at Brooke. Maybe Brooke could take off her feathered wig and throw it at Jason. Regardless, I wish they could vote two people off in the same week. But even Brooke and Jason couldn't be worse than this.

Neil Diamond, before he was a megastar of his own, wrote songs for the Monkees. David Archuleta singing "Daydream Believer" would be a perfect choice for the masses, although I'd rather see him shock his grandma fan-base by singing "Forever in Blue Jeans."

David Cook should absolutely sing, "Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon". With his smoldering gazes at the camera and his sultry baritone, he will make the ladies swoon. And it is so apropos for the gaggle of screaming mimis in the front of the auditorium. And kind of dirty…

And Syesha? I don't care what you sing, just make sure that you wear this dress again.