American Idol Live Blogging--UPDATED

Gwen Stefani all flowered up. Kelly Clarkson angry. Don't you feel like there is some serious back history with this girl? I think she's been through hell. She doesn't seem congruent with her success.

Weird yellow girl attacks Ryan. He gets lost for a minute. It feels like a staged Ricki Lake show.

The top six guys in white now singing with Smokey Robinson. Wow. He looks good. And his voice is so distinctive--he makes the boys sound....plain. Tears from a Clown. Great song.


GO BLAKE GO! Beat boxing with Doug E. Fresh! Woo Hoo! They did awesome!!

Why are we doing these stupid awards?

Blueberry Eyes says, "The girls are way better than the boys." Amen to that, sister. Gladys Night. Oh, yes! Remember, how I compared Melinda to her? See her sell it? She believes the story she's telling. Ewwww, Haley is back. I didn't miss her vamping it up for the camera. Blech! But I sure did miss Gina! How cute does she look? On A Midnight Train To Georgia...whew! listen to Lakisha and Melinda hold their own with Gladys. Yow!

Tony Bennett. Sounds great--does he ever sound anything else? I just wonder, though, why the recording industry picks old greats to venerate. It seems so capricious. For a while it was Johnny Cash, now it's Tony. Both deserving men, to be sure, I just don't get the group think.

BeBe and CeCe Winans singing with Melinda up front. Lord of the Light, AMEN! Save the world from darkness. I wonder what Simon thinks of this unique American belief. As long as it makes money, right?

"I'll stand by you" remake of the Pretenders. I like Chrissy Hines better, but Carrie Underwood does a nice job. What a beautiful girl. Six million records. And an award from Clive Davis. Woop-de-doo.

Sanjaya is back and still can't sing. He gets the star treatment: Fanfare for the Common Man. Good grief! Why the hell did Joe Perry agree to this? He's awesome. I'd just like to hear him play. Sanjaya can shut up any time.

Does winning matter? I don't think so. Maybe losing means establishing your own terms. Well whaddya know..... Taylor Hicks answers my question for me. He's annoying. Grandpa belongs in Las Vegas in a bar band. Snooze.

Reuban Stoddard--what a great voice. Why hasn't he done better? Is he not cut out for the big-time pressure? He seems to have such a sweet personality. You know there will be a show some day about the psychological trauma of being on American Idol. It will be like those shows about child stars. Ha!

Blueberry Eyes says of Bette Midler, "She looks like an old grandma except with a good voice." I can hear Randy saying, "Dog, dog, it's all right. It was a little pitchy, but it was just all right." Everyone loves her. A tear here and there.

Talk about dragging it out. Fifteen minutes left. Who's in the finals again?

Kelly Clarkson sing Sargent Pepper's Lonely Heart Club Band. Oh, I guess this is a butcher Beatles medley. Taylor, oh Taylor.... Redeemed by Reuben. I love his voice.

AND THE WINNER IS: JORDIN SPARKS!


UPDATE: I came out squarely in the middle of Brendan Loy's Idol pool. A guy named Mark won the last six consecutive weeks. That's pretty amazing. I was too emotionally attached to Melinda. I would have scored better. Oh well.... I think she'll have a great career. Ditto Blake.