Top 11 Results Recap

There's only one person left in this competition who won't be on the tour this summer. Which one will it be though? I predicted Amanda would be the one to leave tonight, but boy, do I hope I'm wrong.

Before they get to the rest of the show Ryan announces this year's celebrity mentors, and they are Dolly Parton, Mariah Carey, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Neil Diamond. Darn. No Micky Dolenz this year. They can put him in the audience but they can't make him a mentor. I assume Dolly Parton will be for Country Music Week, Andrew Lloyd Webber may be for Musicals Week, Neil Diamond will probably get his own theme week, and I have no idea what Mariah Carey would be for. If they do a theme week for her music they're practically begging for a disaster.

The contestants sing another Beatles medley, and it's just as dull as last week's. The guys sing "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", a song I've never really liked. The next song is "Here, There and Everywhere", one of my favorites. Brooke and Ramiele are apparently supposed to be singing together at one point, but it sounds like Ramiele's microphone isn't turned on. All the girls get a solo on this song except Amanda. Gee, I wonder why. Next is "Because", another song I've never been particularly fond of. Amanda looks really uncomfortable standing in this circle singing. Finally Amanda gets her solo on "The End", although she's drowned out for most of it by the other singers.

Because the Top Ten get to go on tour, they're making the announcement a really dramatic thing. I don't recall them doing that before. The first one called is Brooke White. They talk about her performance last night, and she goes on about how she was out of her zone or whatever. Stop wasting our time. We know she's not going home. Ryan then tells her she's in the Top Ten, which makes her pretty happy as you'd expect. As Brooke walks over to the safety of the couches Carpetbagger Carly Smithson is already at center stage. OK, we know she's in the Top Ten too. Let's not draw this out. What?? Carly's in the Bottom 3? Hey, I'm happy, but I wasn't expecting that. Of course, she'll most likely be the first one sent back to safety. David Archuleta is next, and to the surprise of no one he's in the Top Ten. Michael Johns has to face the music next, and we all know his dead friend will keep him out of the Bottom 3 tonight. He's safe too.

After a real commercial they give us a behind-the-scenes look at the filming of the Ford commercial. That's cool, I guess. It's nice to see the Idols having fun with each other. The song this week is The Clash's "Should I Stay or Should I Go?" and the setting is an old-fashioned B-grade science fiction movie from the 50's. I don't like it as much as last week's, but it's fun, I guess. I wonder how much of the money they spend on these Ford commercials could be put to better use elsewhere.

Back to the results. David Cook is in the Top Ten. Kristy Lee Cook is back in the Bottom 3 where she belongs. Jason Castro is in the Top Ten. They try to create some drama when announcing that Ramiele Malubay is in the Top Ten, and her nervous facial expressions are cute.

After another commercial break it's time for the audience questions. Since the questions are more silly fluff that I don't feel like recapping I'll just skip them again. After that it's time for Kellie Pickler. They show us a video of Kellie highlighting her time on "Idol" and what she's been doing since then. Whoop-dee-doo. She's performing "Red High Heels" this week. I'm not sure why she's going back to her first single rather than her latest one, but I don't make these decisions. It's funny how Kellie's been back to perform twice and she only finished in sixth place. Taylor Hicks won and the only time he's been back was for last year's finale. Then again, we all know they're trying to pretend Taylor never won, so it's not altogether surprising. Kellie's voice doesn't sound the strongest in her performance, but there is some unintentional comedy when she stands right in front of Randy and he's clearly checking her out. Ryan even mentions it after the song is over. Randy's such a horndawg.

They also show us a video of where the "Idol Gives Back" money went. They apparently sent Fantasia and Elliott Yamin to Africa to be ambassadors for the cause. Fantasia sings "Amazing Grace" for them (pulling a Kristy Lee Cook, eh?) and Elliott is named the godfather of a newborn baby, which moves him to tears. Well, good for them. I hope it changes the lives of these African families.

Three contestants left. Syesha Mercado is in the Top Ten, on song choice rather than talent, of course. The last person to be declared safe is Chikezie, which means Amanda Overmyer completes our Bottom 3. I predicted two out of three correctly just like last week, so I guess that means I officially almost rock.

This Bottom 3 is a motley crew. We have a carpetbagger, a mannequin and a true rocker. Ryan calls Carly's name first, and while I know he's probably going to send her back to safety I'm hoping he's going to tell her she's been eliminated. Nope, my gut was right. She's in the Top Ten. It's down to Amanda and Kristy, just as I suspected, and I predicted that Amanda would be going home. America voted, and...Kristy is safe again. Amanda, the only true rocker left in the competition, is going home. I guess I understand though. Why would you want to watch an entertaining performer when you can watch a mannequin? Do you know what this means, hippophiles? It means Kristy's going to go on the tour, and she's going to make a lot of money, and she'll be able to buy her horse back, and you can stop voting for her minimally-talented behind! Sheesh. Sorry, but Amanda is just so darn cool. I'm only glad I saw this coming, because if I'd been shocked again like last week I would've been a lot more upset.

Amanda, ever the level-headed girl, doesn't seem too shaken up by the news. She's even smiling. Kristy seems more upset by the elimination than Amanda does. After the highlight video Amanda says 11th Place out of all the people who tried out is nothing to be ashamed of. She sings "Back in the USSR" again and forgets the lyrics a few times. Well, I guess if she's only trying to get publicity for her live shows she'll certainly be able to pack the houses for a while, since there are lots of people looking for a real rocker these days. Sure, we still have David Cook, but let's be honest, when he gets a record deal he'll just put out an album of bore-rock crap like Daughtry. I might actually buy an Amanda Overmyer album. It would've been really interesting to see what she would've done had she continued in the competition, but we'll never know now. Good luck Amanda, and keep on doing your thing.

Power Rankings:

10. Kristy Lee Cook - Unless she gives the performance of her life (which I don't believe she has the talent to give) I honestly think her time is up next week. Even Simon said he doesn't see her getting higher than 10th Place, and she seemed fine with that. Now that we know she'll be getting her horse back I think the voters are ready to let her bow out gracefully and not turn into another Sanjaya.

9. Syesha Mercado - I'm getting the impression more and more that there are a lot of fans who don't like her (heck, I'm one of them). Her song choice saved her this week, and next week the only thing that should save her is Kristy's sheer crappiness.

8. Michael Johns - He just hasn't shown us anything special. Even after the first week of Semifinals when he was one of the three guys everyone was talking about (along with Jason C. and David A.) I didn't think he was that impressive. If it weren't for his looks and early pimping I think Michael would've gone home already. I think he's going to be our first early frontrunner to fall.

7. Ramiele Malubay - Again, the only reason I think she'll last this long is because of the Filipino voters. I think Ramiele has potential, but based on what she's shown us so far she doesn't have the composure or performance ability to be a real contender.

6. Chikezie - I realize most prognosticators don't see Chikezie getting this far, but I have a hunch that the one-named man has a few tricks up his sleeve that'll keep him getting votes for a while.

5. Carly Smithson - I've already theorized that she won't connect with America enough to win, and her Bottom 3 appearance this week may be the first sign that I'm right.

4. David Cook - Chris Daughtry went home in this spot, and in odd-numbered seasons a frontrunner has always left here. While the judges and many fans are behind David, he seems to be falling into the "too much of the same thing" trap that Daughtry did. He's probably better off not winning anyway.

3. Jason Castro - Even though he doesn't have a very strong voice, no one seems to consider him a weak contestant who deserves to go home. I think his personality could get him this far, but I don't see him as original or talented enough to make the finale.

2. Brooke White - For now I'm sticking with her as this year's runner-up, since I still believe a good portion of America has been charmed by her (I know I have). A lot of people find her boring, and some people thought it was annoying the way she talked to the judges this week, but she hasn't appeared to be in any danger of going home yet.

1. David Archuleta - OK, I have him back at number one. After last week's performance I thought it was the beginning of the end for him, but the way he consistently blows everyone else away on DialIdol is enough to convince me that he has the fanbase to win the whole thing.

I'm not sure what the theme for next week is going to be, but after two straight weeks of The Beatles I'm ready for something new.