Top 9 performed tonight, I thought last week was tough but this week almost impossible, all 9 were excellent and I suspect America could go in any direction:
9. Paul...Good job with Johnny Cash song but I still don't get his voice.
8. Stephano...Percy Sledge song, sung well but forgettable.
7. Casey...CCR with standup bass, unique but not great.
6. Lauren...Aretha Franklin song, good but lacked the soul.
5. Jacob...Michael Jackson song, best he's been in weeks imo.
4. Scotty...Elvis, showed another dimension, girls rushed stage after his performance.
3. Pia...Tina Turner, absolutely perfect voice wise but lacked Tina's command of stage.
2. James...George Harrison, showed mellow side, liked his connection to the song.
1. Haley...Janis Joplin, ok, I'm partial to anyone who can do Janis, loved her version and her voice does remind one of Janis.

Well...I'm beginning to believe that only 13 year old girls are voting this year. Bottom three were Stephano (got that one right), Jacob (a bit of a surprise but not a guy who appeals to teenyboppers) and Pia (certainly one of the favorites)....in a complete shock, and invoking anger from all three judges, Pia was sent home. That means that since the field was reduced to 13, 5 have been sent home...all girls! Yet marginal performers such as Stephano, Paul and Casey move on. This was a tough week as everybody performed well but hard to understand the results.

Best year for talent since it's been on...no marginal talent with 9 left means means good people go home early. Pia handled herself extremely well and will recover. There are a couple this year that will lose and still have solid careers. Scotty wins unless he tries to rap...

Agree that Scotty is now a real contender, I still have hope for Haley as she has stepped up the last couple of weeks...like I said, she can do Janis and that says everything. James is a force with his range but rockers seldom win....

Week eight tonight and everybody brought their "A" game. After last week, it's almost impossible to determine who may leave tomorrow:
8. Paul....I still don't get him.
7. Jacob....something missing but can't deny he's got pipes.
6. Haley....so damn sexy but not her best week.
5. Lauren....powerful voice, a contender
4. Scotty....true to his country roots.
3. Stephano....his best week in the competition, will it save him?
2. James....heavy metal, rocks the stage.
1. Casey....found himself this week, unique performer who makes jazz cool.
I suspect the bottom three will be Stephano, Paul and Haley unless Jacob alienated folks last week, they have to send a guy home soon....

Well, I can only hope that I'm this lucky with my Derby picks....nailed the bottom three and Paul was sent home. Gotta respect Paul, he took everything in stride and performed "Maggie May" one more time (JLo's request)...his best song as he does Rod very well. So the string of 5 straight girls was broken and next week will be even harder.

Down to the top 7 and again...tremendous performances, every week they hit every song out of the park! Probably will come down to what type of performer folks like:
7. Jacob...terrific voice but a couple hiccups this week, emotion overcame him.
6. Scotty...one of the favorites but nothing special this week.
5. Stephano...another good week as he is gaining confidence.
4. Lauren...love her voice, she could easily win it all.
3. Haley...continues to be super sexy with a voice to match.
2. Casey...the mad man of Idol, changed up this week and ended with a kiss for JLo...outstanding!
1. James...the best performance in Idol history, period!
Based on voting history, I suspect bottom three will be Jacob, Stephano and Haley.

Well, I hit the bottom three again, Stephano finally was sent home, he had a good run considering he was almost a weekly visitor to the bottom 2. It's becoming obvious that barring a complete meltdown by someone, the final four will be James, Casey, Lauren and Scotty....can't argue a lot but I really do like Haley over Lauren or Scotty.

I think Lauren will be in the final 2 at the end. That is all.

She very well could be....has a lot of fans obviously, James and Casey seem to be the strongest of the guys, Scotty is hard to judge.

Top six performed last night, once again they were terrific and I am finding it nearly impossible to rank them:
6. Jacob....showed more energy but missed a couple notes, big voice but lacks that special something.
5. Scotty....stepped outside his comfort zone and hit notes at the very top of his register, good job.
4. Lauren....big voice, she took chances and came through beautifully.
3. Haley....great voice with lots of character and she's an absolute doll.
2. Casey....unique performer who brings something new every week,
1. James....continues to separate himself from the others, his contest to lose.
Bottom three? Anybody's guess but I'd say Jacob, Haley and Casey.

I watched the new show "The Voice", anybody else see and how do the voices comapre with Idol entrants. The Voice had some great ones

Nancy and I watched and enjoyed the format, thus far this year I think Idol ranks slightly ahead as this is their deepest group, to be fair...only half of the Voice's top 24 have been chosen.

Well, they changed up this week and announced results randomly so no telling bottom three...Casey was sent home, a bit of a surprise but this year things are so close...I was heartened by the fact that I believe my girl Haley should make it into top 4 as the next to go should be Jacob.

Wow, what performances tonight....folks are making this really really hard:
5. Jacob...powerful voice (duh) but he did have a couple lapses, and in the end, he simply doesn't do it for me.
4. Lauren...so talented and impossible to find something to be critical of, a winner many seasons.
3. Scotty...rocked first song and showed his mellow side in second, amazing performances.
2. James...two wonderful performances especially his emotional second one. As the judges said, his contest to lose.
1. Haley...judges were critical of first song choice (did an unrecorded Lady GaGa song) but not her vocal. Her second song, "House of the Rising Sun" was described by Randy as the best of the night, I agree...she rocked my world!

So, what will America think? I believe Jacob will leave tomorrow, Haley should have saved herself with that wonderful second performance, it will help her that it was the last of the evening!

Well, bottom two were Jacob and Lauren (wish I could pick horses this well) and Jacob was sent home (about time imo). The remaining 4 are all supremely talented and it will depend on song choice from now on...Lauren must combat her nerves and gain confidence, Haley must continue on her hot streak, James must keep his emotions in check and Scotty must continue to be Scotty.

Final four performed tonight....I'm not even going to try and rank their performances, they were all great! Lady GaGa on board as their mentor and that was interesting, thought she gave really great advice to all!
Lauren...first was better of her two, when she did Elvis..."If you're lookin' for trouble, you came to the right place...." I didn't feel it, she seemed to have trouble believing the lyrics.
Scotty...he's country and remains true to his roots, started off with a country classic and then stepped up the tempo and had a good time with his second. Not the most powerful voice but his low range seems to drive the teenyboppers crazy. Great personality, impossible not to like.
James...one great performance after another, he's a rocker who can sing absolutely anything, a star whether he wins Idol or not.
Haley...absolutely love her, Randy and JLo were tough on her first performance while Steven made it very clear he totally disagreed. She then came out and sang, "I Who Have Nothing" and sent chills through my entire body. All three judges gave her the night's only standing ovation, JLo calling it "the best performance on Idol this year"...I agree! Any of these four wins the whole thing most years...

What do you know...they got it right this time. Tired of his screaming!

Here's a takeout free betting line:

Scottie 1-1
Haley 2-1
Lauren 9-2

I was surprised that James was sent home, I think he has a great future as a rocker...yes, he reminds me of Steven Tyler. When Lauren was the first to make the top three my heart sank as I thought no way there would be two girls, I am really happy to be wrong and for Haley to make it also. Scottie has a huge fan base to be sure, that deep voice and "ah shucks" personality is contagious and he will be a country music star. Lauren is great, for 16 she has remarkable personality but Haley's my girl, two weeks in a row JLo and Randy slammed her first performance only to see her come back with the best of the night...this week one of the best all year! Any of the three can win, but I agree that Haley and Scottie should be in the finale...we'll see next Wednesday/Thursday.