A Sanjaya-Free Idol

Yay! No riff-raff to clog up American Idol this week. Just a good, old-fashioned singing competition with actual good singers. I've been waiting so long.

So it was Idol Gives Back week and they were all singing "change the world" type of songs. We are actually voting this week because it's for charity but I'm not telling you who we're voting for (Jordin). This is a big deal. The last time I voted, I voted secretly for Diana DeGarmo and was outed by a friend of mine and I hadn't voted ever since.

So Chris opened it all up and did a great job singing an Eric Clapton song "If I Could Chaaay-ee-ange the World". Such a cutie. I don't think he'll win, but he deserves to be this far. Every time I see him, I think he looks like the baby that Derek Jeter might have if he made it with Justin Timberlake.

Melinda was next with some song by Faith Hill I didn't recognize but as always she rocked it. My husband and I were discussing whether or not Melinda had a "neck coach" because again, this week, her hair was done in such a way that revealed that she very much does have a neck, despite what we saw in the entire rest of the season, including auditions. And it's a nice neck. I only wonder if that was maybe her secret weapon to stay in the competition, to finally show it off in the last few weeks, or if the coaches reviewed the tape and decided that the neckless thing wasn't working out for her. Anyway, she truly is the resident pro as Randy called her. I can't see her ever being voted off, but I can't see her winning either. I see one of the trendier singers like Blake or Jordin actually winning. But again, I can't see her going away. She's just too good.

Then, Blake, who sang one of my favorite songs, Imagine, by John Lennon and it was pretty good but not win-it-all good. Lakisha did what she did last week and sang a former Idol tune and I am never a big fan of that but it was a song by Fantasia and it was ok. And I loved her dress by the way, but only the front. The back was a little, how do you say, not good.

Then there was Dr. Evil, Phil Stacey, who this week really wore the Dr. Evil suit only it was black and not gray. I have to close my eyes to listen to him because he has such a kick-ass voice but when I look at him singing I can't really believe that the voice I am hearing is coming out of that face. Not that he's a bad looking guy. He's just a little weird. And why did he wait until last week, by the way, to reveal he is actually a country singer? I had no idea! I thought he was that guy who didn't really have a genre, who might sing anything, whatever was pretty mellow mainstream. Turns out he's totally country! Maybe last week was the "reveal" week with him being all country and Melinda's neck making a first appearance. He sang Garth Brooks and it rocked.

I think I may have a minor girl-crush on Jordin. She is gorgeous and I just love her voice! And I still think it's hilarious how she towers over peensy little Ryan when they stand together. Husband says this week it's Lakisha's turn to take a bow, but I think it'll be Chris. But we both think it'll be Melinda and Jordin in the finals. We shall see. At least it won't be Sanjaya. Who, by the way, is EVERYWHERE! I cannot turn on the tv without seeing him and his hair doing a live interview on some show. OK, we get it. You're an entertainer, you want to do some acting, modeling and singing. Now please just go away for just a few minutes. You'll be famous no matter what, even if people don't like you. I have never quite seen such a popular guy with such a strong love-hate thing going on across the country, it reminds me a little of William Hung, only I think Sanjaya will actually make a tad more money out of it.