Predict Idol

(aired 3/26/08)

Bunny: Tonight, we find out who shares #10 placement with Ejay Day, Julia DeMato, Amy Adams, Jessica Sierra, Lisa Tucker, and Chris Sligh from Seasons 1 through 6, respectively.

Last year, there were 25,000 songs submitted for the finale song, and they chose “This Is My Now”? Maybe the selection process needs a little refinement.

Already the group number has way more energy than last week. This isn’t the most talented bunch of choreography-learners American Idol has ever seen, and some are downright klutzy up there (cough*Jason*cough) but this was the best group sing so far this year in my opinion. Maybe it was partly because they stuck to just one song. Or because Amanda is gone, one of the two.

We get a peek behind the scenes as the Idols record their studio versions for iTunes, and then come the highlights and lowlights of last night’s performances.

Like last week, the contestants are called out one by one. A nervous Chikezie is first, and for good reason: He is in the bottom 3. Brooke of the bright-blue pants is next, and she gets to sit on the bright-blue sofa of safeitude.

Carly is next, and she dispels the pregnancy rumor that was circulated widely today, explaining that her distracted attitude was thanks to wearing too many Spanx. She is sent to the couches.

After the break, we see the latest Ford music video, which is pretty cool, and far less corny than usual.

Ryan calls David Archuleta next, and he doesn’t draw out the suspense; Archie is sticking around. How about David Cook? Yes, Curly McSideburn is safe as well.

Next is Syesha Mercado, and Chikezie finally has some company over in the silver stools of mediocrity. However, Michael Johns gets the green light for next week.

Now we have the fluffy call-in segment. I think this portion of the show would be much more interesting and less anti-climactic if they didn’t show the questions right up on the screen before the caller can ask them.

Kimberley Locke is here, and we see a quick recap of her Season 2 journey on American Idol and her life since. In addition to recording two albums and successfully losing weight, she has opened a restaurant in New York. Her performance of “Fall” seems way oversung to me, but I still like her.

Next we’re reminded about Idol Gives Back, which is coming up on April 9, and what it did last year.

Ramiele Malubay is called onstage. Her fanbase has pulled her through, which is a pretty amazing feat, given her performance and placement last night.

Jason Castro and Kristy Lee Cook are the last two to find out their fate. Kristy finally gets to sit on the safe couch before she hits the silver stools. So Jason gets a wake-up call with a trip to the bottom 3, although it’s brief; he is sent to safety almost immediately.

So who’s it gonna be? Going home tonight is … Chikezie. If he could have maintained the level he achieved with “She’s A Woman,” he might not be singing himself out tonight, but a couple of poor song choices did the poor guy in. There’s nothing wrong with his voice.

SCORES

Bunny: 0 out of 1
Wrong about Ramiele Malubay
(Bunny’s Bomb: 0 out of 1)

Burke: 1 out of 1
Right about Chikezie
(Burke’s Turkey: 0 out of 1)

Prognosticats: 0 out of 1
Wrong about David Cook
(Prognosticats’ Hairball: 0 out of 1)

Bunny: So Burke pulls ahead of Bunny by 1, and the Prognosticats still trail the humans. It’s Dolly Parton week next week. A prolific songwriter, her experience and bubbly personality should make her a good mentor. See you soon!

(aired 3/25/08)

Tonight’s theme is songs from the year they were born. That means one song from the ‘70s, one from the ‘90s, and lots and lots of ‘80s in between.

As a reminder, our ratings system here at Predict Idol is from half a paw to 4 paws, in honor of the Prognosticats, Zinnia and Zoey. Contestants earn half a paw just by showing up and singing, even if they bomb, but the most outstanding performances can earn 4 paws.

Ramiele Malubay

1987
“Alone” by Heart
Bunny: First thought: Oh no, she’s tackling a song done by Carrie Underwood in Season 4, a performance people are still talking about. Second thought: But if she can pull it off, good for her, because she needs a big performance. Third thought: She’s wavering on the power notes, and I don’t feel that she has an emotional connection with the song. At all. It’s explained during the judging that she has been sick, and that would explain the wavering, which is uncharacteristic of her.

Burke: I liked her song choice, though I wasn’t sure she could handle it. I thought her singing was okay, but the way she just stands there kind of bugs me. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised.

Jason Castro

1987
“Fragile” by Sting
Bunny: Jason is apparently on a quest to learn a new language each week. This week it’s Spanish. It isn’t a breakout performance, but it’s very solid, and he seems much more comfortable than last week. Simon says he could be a winner if he takes it more seriously, and I agree he does need to be more versatile.

Burke: I didn’t like the song, and he sang it so softly it was overwhelmed by the music and chorus. His lack of power will eventually catch up with him.

Syesha Mercado

1987
“If I Were Your Woman” by Stephanie Mills
Bunny: She is on point tonight. However, other than “Yesterday” last week, her song choices bore me. I think she’s great, though.

Burke: Very good singing, very polished and powerful.

Chikezie

1985
“If Only For One Night” by Luther Vandross
Bunny: I think it was a good choice to go with a ballad tonight, although it’s not a hugely well known one. He sounds pleasant, but I’m not very excited about it. Chicheesy.

Burke: Nice job, Chikezie. No dobro or harmonica, just heartfelt singing, like a mini Ruben.

Brooke White

1983
“Every Breath You Take” by the Police
Bunny: She’s back at the piano, with a slowed-down version of a faster song. The result of this juxtaposition is that she once again stands out as different. I like the straightened hair as a change of pace. The judges comment on her false start, but it doesn’t really hurt her.

Burke: Brooke sings the Police; this should be interesting. I liked the Sheryl Crow look, enjoyed the piano. Overall, solid performance.

Michael Johns

1978
“We Are The Champions” by Queen
Bunny: It sounded like Brooke was singing backup at one point. Weird. I think he did what he needed to do to reestablish his relevance to this competition. It’s not as good as his Bohemian Rhapsody, but it’s good.

Burke: A perennial crowd favorite comes through for Michael. Good choice and performance.

Carly Smithson

1983
“Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler
Bunny: This should be a good song for her. She doesn’t stray much from the original, but she does an excellent job. During the judges’ comments, it looks like she’s thinking, uh-oh, my butt’s in the bottom three again.

Burke: Great song choice, and she nailed it.

David Archuleta

1990
“You’re The Voice” by David Foster with Jeff Pescetto
Bunny: I don’t remember ever hearing this song before. It’s nice, and he does a good job, not great. It was a good way to show he can do stuff that’s a little more up-tempo, though.

Burke: Didn’t like the song choice, but he sang it well.

Kristy Lee Cook

1984
“God Bless the USA” by Lee Greenwood
Bunny: It’s a weird choice, because I don’t know if it really tells us what kind of artist she is, but then, I suppose there wasn’t really much doubt that she’s country to the core. It’s her best performance as a member of the top 12. If it doesn’t keep her in the competition, maybe she can still get on the presidential ballot.

Burke: Solid performance, maybe her best yet. Did she steal that top from Amanda before she left?

David Cook

1982
“Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson (but Chris Cornell’s version)
Bunny: Surprisingly, this song works as a rock ballad. Week after week, this guy shows that he is here to win. He makes us remember him.

Burke: A rock version of Billie Jean? BRILLyant!

PREDICTIONS

Bunny: Bunny’s Bomb, sorry to say, is Ramiele Malubay. I’ve liked her from the beginning, but she’s just not upping her game. I’ve become bored. Unfortunately, I think her placement in the kiss-of-death spot plus her so-so performance mean that she will be leaving us tomorrow.

Burke: Burke’s Turkey is Jason Castro. I said weeks ago he sounded like a sidewalk singer, and he’s done nothing yet to change my mind, other than “Hallelujah.” Actually voted off, though, will be Chikezie.

Prognosticats: Tonight’s Hairball Performance was given by Carly Smithson. Voted off tomorrow will be David Cook.

Bunny: Top Dawg in my ever-so-humble opinion is David Cook.

Burke: My Top Dawg is Carly Smithson. It helps that it was one of my favorite songs, but I think she did a great job.

See you tomorrow for the results!

(aired 3/19/08)

Bunny: Burke is unable to join us this evening, so we’ll have to muddle through without him. (I think he simply couldn’t stomach the idea of reliving last night’s show.) The results tonight are of special importance to the contestants, because only the top ten get to be on the American Idol tour this summer.

After the introduction, the Season 7 mentors that we’ve been hearing about are revealed: Dolly Parton, Mariah Carey, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and Neil Diamond. I’m particularly excited about Neil’s involvement, since he’s a personal favorite. He and I are on a first-name basis. Meaning we both have one.

Ryan also reminds us that the songwriting competition for the finale is still on. What are the chances we’ll get something more original than last year’s “This Is My Now”? Pretty good, I would think, since it’s hard to imagine it could be any worse. I guess that’s kind of harsh, coming from someone who has never written an entire song. But it really was kind of lame.

Group number time. The guys seem to be sleepwalking through the routine. So is the cameraman—it looks like he almost falls over while Kristy is singing. This whole thing is putting me to sleep. Wake me when it’s over…

What? Oh, now it’s just the recap of last night’s performances. Wake me when it’s over…

The producers have changed things up tonight. The “safe” couches (which actually look decidedly unsafe) are empty, and the contestants are called to come out from backstage one by one. Brooke White is first and, once declared safe, she is sent to the couches.

Then Carly Smithson is brought to center stage, and Ryan delivers the surprising news (at least to me) that she is in the bottom 3. She has to sit on one of the uncomfortable silver stools.

Next is David Archuleta, and he’s sent to the safe couches.

Michael Johns is up next. He is also in the top 10.

After the break, we get a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the weekly Ford commercial. I especially like David Cook’s role as the director. He is actually pretty funny.

More results. Speaking of David Cook, he’s next to hear his fate. He’s safe.

Kristy Lee Cook is called up, and she is not surprised to hear she is in the bottom 3 again.

Now for Jason Castro. He’s told to join the safe ones on the couch.

Hello, Ramiele Malubay. She also has made it into the top 10.

Now for the call-in portion of the show, which again is a complete waste of time. Wake me when it’s over…

We see a clip package of Season 5’s Kellie Pickler. Other than the fact that she’s no doubt more accustomed to seafood and its pronunciations now, she doesn’t seem to have changed much. She is here to perform “Red High Heels.” Like everything else tonight, it’s strangely lethargic, as if everything is taking place underwater. Or is it just me?

After the break, Ryan thanks us for sticking around, as if he knows it’s a challenge to stay awake long enough to find out who’s going home.

I do perk up when I see Season 5’s Elliott Yamin who, along with Season 3’s Fantasia Barrino, are featured in an update on how the money raised by Idol Gives Back is going toward the prevention of malaria in Angola. Elliott is touched by the tradition of naming newborns after someone who is visiting, and he meets his little African namesake. It’s the best part of the evening.

But we have to get back to the main reason we’re here. Syesha Mercado is called up next, and this week, she escapes the bottom 3.

The last two to find out how they’re going to be spending the next few months are Chikezie and Amanda Overmyer. Chikezie is safe, and Amanda is in the bottom 3. So she joins Kristy Lee and Carly at the bottom of the proverbial barrel. Carly should be tapping the keg, not being thrown in it. Fortunately, she is declared safe. However, she pretends to be disbelieving of her good fortune, which is not necessary and a little annoying.

So it’ll be Kristy or Amanda going home. Either would be okay, but I hope it’s Amanda. It’s true the tour would probably be more interesting with her, but it is not to be. Kristy’s barrel horse will have to wait at least one more week for her return, because she has survived the ax once more, no doubt to be tortured again next week.

SCORES

Bunny: 0 out of 1
Wrong about Chikezie
(Bunny’s Bomb: 1 out of 1)

Burke: 0 out of 1
Wrong about Kristy Lee Cook
(Burke’s Turkey: 1 out of 1)

Prognosticats: 0 out of 1
Wrong about Chikezie
(Prognosticats’ Hairball: 0 out of 1)

Bunny: The humans are wrong—AGAIN—but we are consoled by the fact that our personal least favorite performer is the one who got cut. The Cats have not improved their prediction skills either. The score is 4 out of 14 for Burke and Bunny, and 2 out of 14 for Big Z and Little Z. Thanks for joining us. Remember to bookmark this page or subscribe to our RSS feed so you can visit us again!

(aired 3/18/08)

Bunny: The Lennon/McCartney theme has been expanded to the Beatles in general. Ryan kindly explains to the young ’uns in the front who “the Beatles” are with the help of another introductory film, which explains that they were this kind of important band that disbanded 20 years before today’s Idol voters were born.

Amanda Overmyer

“Back In The USSR”
Bunny: I can’t find much to say about Amanda that I haven’t already said every week since I first saw her. There’s still no irrefutable evidence that she can … well, you know … sing.

Burke: She’s getting more comfortable on the Idol stage, but isn’t it time to send her home? Isn’t there a flatbed-trailer opening somewhere in this great land of ours?

Kristy Lee Cook

“You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away”
Bunny: A little advice to Kristy: Don’t pick a song based solely on the title. I still maintain that she has a good voice, but it’s not a great song for her. Halfway through she starts to look scared, like she knows it’s not going super well.

Burke: No energy. Sour notes. Poor performance. Looks like another trip to the bottom three.

David Archuleta

“The Long and Winding Road”
Bunny: He seems to have his confidence back after last week’s debacle. His voice is pure and controlled. It’s beautifully done.

Burke: No stairs or walking, and he remembers all the words. Safe song, safe performance.

Michael Johns

“A Day in the Life”
Bunny: His death grip on the microphone is really starting to bug me. I liked last week’s performance better. I just can’t shake the feeling that Amanda’s not the only one trick pony in this competition. It’s nice that he dedicated the song to his dead chum, but he’s not by any means safe enough to do songs simply because of their personal meaning to him. If he wants to do that, he’s going to have to make sure he remains in the competition first.

Burke: Not being a big Beatles aficionado, I don’t know how the song should sound. I grew up on Elvis and Bill Haley and the Comets. I liked much of what I heard, except the botched note part. The song seemed like it was disconnected excerpts from a longer song, which it was, but I still give it 2-1/2 paws.

Brooke White

“Here Comes the Sun”
Bunny: It almost seems like she chose this song and wore the yellow dress just to get on Simon’s last nerve. No doubt it will remind him of washing-up liquid again. Her take on it is very Brooke. There are a few rough notes, but that’s not what the judges pick on. They think it was very awkward, and she agrees. I liked it more than they did.

Burke: I love “Here Comes The Sun” and hoped she would nail it. It was all right, but she looked uncomfortable behind a mic instead of a guitar or piano. Her performance was awkward, but she gets 2-1/2 paws.

David Cook

“Day Tripper”
Bunny: The guitar is back. Is it my imagination, or is the hair just a teensy bit better? No, I didn’t think so, either. Halfway through the song, we find out why there’s a second microphone on stage. He does a little funky voice distortion thing like Peter Frampton in the Geico commercial. I hate it when Paula and I think alike. Anyway, it’s probably getting hard to come up with things that haven’t been done on Idol before, so he gets points for that, but it wasn’t one of my favorites from him.

Burke: It seemed like last week’s performance, but with a guitar added. All his songs are beginning to sound the same to me. Lose the gimmicks and branch out a little.

Carly Smithson

“Blackbird”
Bunny: She sounds great, but the hideous red rosettes on her maternity top are clashing with the tattoo and giving me a migraine. Once I can concentrate on her voice, it really is lovely, except for a couple small wonky notes. But overall, that’s one I might download. Carly has found a way to squelch Simon’s criticism: just talk and talk about why you chose the song, blah, blah, blah. In spite of her style choices, I’ll give her 3 paws.

Burke: I wasn’t feeling that song. I kept waiting for it to get going, but it never did. Carly knows how to sing, but I’m only giving her 2 paws.

So far, I have not been impressed by Beatles round 2.

Bunny: I agree, last week was better. I guess it’s the law of diminishing returns.

Jason Castro

“Michelle”
Bunny: It’s a safe performance, except maybe for the French, and it’s 100% Jason. I had hoped to see him stretch a little more this week, but I did like it. His amused look while he’s singing the French words is charming. And it sure sounds better coming from him than Ryan.

Burke: The French part was rough. Now I see why he hides behind the guitar. He had no idea what to do on stage. It looked like he couldn’t wait for the song to end. He needs to get funky like Chikezie did last week, to show us a different side.

Syesha Mercado

“Yesterday”
Bunny: I’m worried when I hear that Syesha will be the one to tackle “Yesterday.” She sounds nervous at first, but it gets better as she goes. It’s a restrained and mature performance, and it shows a side of Syesha we haven’t really seen. I think it was a good move on her part, but I’m torn on whether to add another half a paw. Nah, let’s stick with 3.

Burke: Syesha’s looking good tonight, but it’s a little too slow for my taste. I must be the oddball tonight, because it seemed boring to me.

Chikezie

“I’ve Just Seen A Face”
Bunny: What? He’s never played an instrument, but he’s going to try a harmonica? Okay, that must have been a joke. The harmonica solo is the best part of the performance. He seems out of breath and behind the music, so the vocals aren’t terribly impressive. And oh, how I wish someone would get rid of the arm-waving, off-tempo-overhead-clapping robo-teens in the “mosh pit.”

Burke: Wow. It went from boring to crazy. I guess if you don’t feel like singing, pull out your harmonica, go country, and freak everybody out. What was he thinking? That was a bad talent show performance. Am I wrong? Bottom three for thee.

Ramiele Malubay

“I Should Have Known Better”
Bunny: The title of her song lends itself to all kinds of obvious jokes, but let’s see if we need to make them. She is wearing a fedora and shows us her Paula Abdul side. Unfortunately, her voice fades away on some of the notes and it just doesn’t showcase the talent we know she has. Insert obligatory title joke here. Wait, did she just yawn during Paula’s commentary? That’s the funniest thing I’ve seen all night.

Burke: Corny karaoke, weak performance. We should be yawning, not her.

PREDICTIONS

Bunny: The second Beatles night does not compare favorably with the first. The overwhelming feeling is just blah. I don’t feel moved to heatedly defend anyone’s performance. Bunny’s Bomb is Amanda Overmyer. There are several contestants who could be in trouble, but I think that it might be over for Chikezie.

Burke: I didn’t enjoy tonight’s show at all, which makes it hard to decide on Burke’s Turkey. I’ll go with Amanda Overmyer. I predict Kristy Lee Cook will finally go home.

Prognosticats: Hairball performance of the evening was Brooke White, but we think that America will vote off Chikezie.

Bunny: Top Dawg tonight was definitely David Archuleta.

Burke: I’d have to call it the best of the worst, and for me, that would be Michael Johns.

Bunny: See you again tomorrow night for the results!

We anagrammed the top 12 last week, so while we wait for the top 11 to perform tomorrow night, let’s do the same with the contestants who placed 13th through 24th. We entered the names into our favorite online anagram server and picked out some of the more interesting results. We’ll list the names alphabetically.

Colton Berry
Nobler to cry
Try clone, bro
Belt or cry on
Bro, let no cry

Joanne Borgella
No real job angle
Nab orange jello
Lo, enlarge banjo
Nonlegal ear job

Robbie Carrico
Bro, icier cobra
Rob ice or a crib

Amy Davis
May divas
My Visa ad
Am sad ivy

Asia’h Epperson
Papa’s heroines
Reshapes piano
Happier season
A snappier shoe
A hipper season
Appears shoe-in
Area pop shines
So piranhas pee
Hop erases pain
Happier on seas
Heap no praises

Garrett Haley
The argyle rat
Try hate glare
Larger hat yet
Try great heal
That gray leer
Try? Ha! Get real
Rate thy lager

Alexandrea Lushington
A Neanderthal using lox
A standalone ex hurling
Unleash daring lax note
Nun lost ax, I heard angel
A nasal teen hurdling ox
Hoax in glandular teens
Haunting ladies near ox
Nailed hexagonal turns
Darling, exhale no tunas

Kady Malloy
La moldy yak
My yak a doll
Yolk malady

Luke Menard
Ranked mule
Naked lemur
Unarmed elk
Made elk run
Um, knee lard
Me drunk ale
Remade lunk

Danny Noriega
Annoying dear
Nerdy on again
Gained no yarn
No idea, granny
I rang, annoyed
Drag anyone in
No earning day
Inane rangy ‘do

Alaina Whitaker
Aw, a hankie trail
Awake a thin liar
Ah, a wailer at kin
Await ankle hair
Eh, wail aria, tank

Jason Yeager
Enjoys a rage
Yea, snore jag
Yes, gone ajar
Age earns joy
Enjoy ear gas

Just for fun, let’s throw Nigel into the mix:
Nigel Lythgoe
Leggy hotline
Lengthily ego
Hello, tiny egg
He got yelling
The lonely gig

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(aired 3/12/08)

Bunny: The first elimination of the top 12 has been the subject of endless speculation. Who will be the first sent back to relative obscurity? We’ll find out after an hour of fluff and filler. Bear with us.

Jim Carrey is in the audience in full Horton-Hears-A-Who regalia. What could be better than Jim Carrey + American Idol? Well, if Jon Heder were there, too, that would be really awesome.

Burke: The best part of the opening tonight is Jim Carrey. He rocks. I love the elephant suit.

Bunny: The group number is, of course, a Beatles medley. Kristy has one of the first parts of “All My Lovin’.” Why couldn’t she have sung that last night? If she had, she might not be in such danger tonight. Some of the guys seem to have a problem with the choreography, and sometimes it seems like the mics aren’t on. Well, they’re still working out the kinks.

After the recap, Carly, Michael, Jason, and Syesha are asked to stand. Carly is safe, and then Michael. Jason can sit back down as well. Syesha knows she will be in the bottom three. She is called to center stage. Strangely enough, she is asked to sing. Did I mention there would be fluff and filler? Well, here it is.

Burke: I’m okay with her in the bottom three, based on last night’s performance, but why are they having her sing? Okay, Syesha, you can stop now, the votes have already been counted.

Bunny: As the commercials roll, Burke and I are discussing this new sing-before-you’re-eliminated thing. Is it to prevent the eliminated contestant from having to sing after their dreams have been shattered in a million pieces?

Next, we see their first Ford commercial, which ties in the election year theme, and then a film which is basically an excuse to promote Horton Hears A Who some more. They do get to meet Jim Carrey and Steve Carell. And Kevin Cronin from REO Speedwagon, woooo!

Back to the results. Oh, was that why we’re here? Chikezie, Amanda, Kristy, and David C. stand up. Chikezie is called down from the couches, but we know it’s a smoke screen. He’s immediately sent back to sit down. Amanda is safe, and she’s actually smiling tonight. David C. can relax, too. Kristy knows she will have to sing, and she apologizes to the judges that they will have to hear her song again. At least she has a good sense of humor about it. It’s got to be hard, especially if she has any clue how badly she’s been crucified in the media over the past 24 hours. If she gets another chance, she’d better pick an amazing, amazing song, and keep her Loretta Lynn personality at bay. But she can certainly sing.

Burke: No big surprise to see Kristy here. Then we have to listen to the whole thing again. The … whole … thing.

Bunny: After Ryan takes a few phone calls from fans, which are fairly pointless, David Foster accompanies Katharine McPhee on the piano with “Something.”

Burke: She’s more talented than anyone in this year’s top 12.

Bunny: Really? She is good, but I guess I wouldn’t say that.

After the break, we find that Jim Carrey is sitting with the contestants in a rather emotional state, but Ryan sends him back to his seat in the audience. David A., Brooke, David H., and Ramiele are the last four to hear their fate. David A. and Brooke are both proclaimed to be safe. Then, Ramiele. So David H. is in the bottom three. Ryan wants to know how it feels to be almost through this agonizing hour and still not know the results. Feels great, Ryan. Super-duper.

Now that I think about it, I don’t think these results shows are going to be too enjoyable, especially if we have to hear the THREE WORST SONGS from each performance show ALL OVER AGAIN. Has Nigel been overcome by paint fumes from the new set?

The first to be sent back to safety is Syesha, which is as it should be. She does a good job of pretending she is sad for the other two, but we can almost hear the screams of joy that will happen at 10:01.

So who’s it gonna be? Drum roll … Kountry Kristy is going … to be back next week. Buh-bye, David Hernandez! Back to the … well, whatever you were doing, dude.

Burke: Wow. I did not see that coming at all. Kristy manured up the stage, and David goes home? He was not the worst of the 12 by any means, but it’s the votes that count. By the way, the Ruben Studdard departure song was lame. Bring back Daughtry or that Canadian had-a-bad-day guy.

SCORES

Bunny: 0 out of 1
Wrong about Kristy Lee Cook
(Bunny’s Bomb: 0 out of 1)

Burke: 0 out of 1
Wrong about Kristy Lee Cook
(Burke’s Turkey: 0 out of 1)

Prognosticats: 0 out of 1
Wrong about Carly Smithson
(Prognosticats’ Hairball: 0 out of 1)

Bunny: So the humans are still tied, and they maintain their 2-point lead on the cats. Not very impressive, huh? See the overall standings in the left sidebar. Check back for some more anagram fun before the next performance show!

(aired 3/11/08)

It’s one of the most highly anticipated nights of the Idol season, the first time the top 12 perform on the big Idol stage. Ryan shows off the new set as if he built it himself. The elevated band is pretty cool. Tonight we’ll be hearing Lennon/McCartney songs. For whom will it “Come Together” and who will soon be “Yesterday’s” news?

We’re introducing a new Paws rating system, in honor of the Prognosticats. The worst possible rating is half a Paw, which a contestant will get just for showing up, even if that’s the best that can be said. The top rating is 4 Paws, earned only by the most outstanding performances. So let’s get to it!

Syesha Mercado

“Got To Get You Into My Life”
Bunny: She has the dubious honor of being the first of the top 12 to perform. She comes out looking like a young Debbie Allen. This girl rarely hits a bad note. The arrangement is heavy on the horns, which competes with her too much in my opinion. It’s pretty decent overall, though.

Burke: I agree, the band seemed too loud, or she was too quiet in some spots. She sings and looks good, but she still hasn’t put it all together yet.

Chikezie

“She’s A Woman”
Bunny: The song seems to open on a front porch in southern Mississippi somewhere, but then he brings it back to the big stage. Chikezie has dialed it up several notches tonight, and it has a strong Taylor Hicksian vibe. Chikezie clearly figures that as long as he outlasted Danny Noriega, he might as well take advantage of the opportunity.

Burke: The Soggy Bottom Boys opening wasn’t good for me, and I wrote that before Paula mentioned “O Brother Where Art Thou.” But it picked up from there. Spastic performance but entertaining. He cut it loose tonight.

Ramiele Malubay

“In My Life”
Bunny: She sings with feeling, admitting in her clip that she’s still missing her friends who have already left the show. The problem is she seems to give the same performance every week and does need to shake us up a little. Her voice is very pretty, though, as the judges said.

Burke: She sang it well, but it seemed so tame (read: lame) coming after Eze. She’ll need to spice it up in the coming weeks.

Jason Castro

“If I Fell”
Bunny: The guitar is back. His performance is the most true to the Beatles so far, yet he definitely gives it the Jason treatment, which I love. He may need to show a little more versatility in future weeks to keep expanding his fan base, but personally, I think he can just keep doing what he’s doing.

Burke: From Colombia, you say? By the way, did you catch the bugs flying around his head in his clip? Dread-rot, much? I liked it, but what’s up with those weak notes? Will he ever leave the stool and perform a little more? Is this too many questions?

Carly Smithson

“Come Together”
Bunny: She sings this song every week in her “real life,” so I’m expecting her to nail it. I think the only thing she really could have done to improve the performance would be to get a better outfit (I had a blue satin top like that in 1985), but that’s a nitpick. She is clearly in control.

Burke: She is the rocker chick. All others need not apply (I’m talking to you, Amanda). She is so consistent, week after week.

David Cook

“Eleanor Rigby”
Bunny: He puts down the guitar for once. We’ll see whether Simon is right about him being vulnerable without it. He manhandles the mic and its stand but otherwise seems confident. Some of the notes are a bit off, yet overall it’s a strong performance.

Burke: The jacket is a bit much. To me, he always seems to be imitating Daughtry.

Brooke White

“Let It Be”
Bunny: She counts the Beatles among her influences. Tonight, she’s accompanying herself on the piano. It’s simple and powerful. This girl is the genuine article. There’s not much else I can say.

Burke: She’s so nice it makes a person sick. I don’t think she needs the piano. She’ll need to start moving soon, too.

David Hernandez

“I Saw Her Standing There”
Bunny: He looks good and does a good job, but I’m not seeing or hearing anything that really moves me. Maybe because it’s hard to look at him the same as before we all got a bad case of TMTH. As Simon would say, Sorry.

Burke: I like the song; I didn’t like his version. I just didn’t feel it.

Amanda Overmyer

“You Can’t Do That”
Bunny: I like her pants. I need some of them there vertical stripes to make me look skinny. Her wide-legged sing-to-the-floor stance is getting pretty old, but she keeps it under control a little better this week. Simon’s right that the lyrics were hard to understand at times. I will say that she does know how to take ownership of a song. But if this is about singing … that’s still not her strongest asset.

Burke: First off, I like the new softer look. She seemed more comfortable on stage, too. But I still don’t think she can sing all that well. I wonder how it would sound if she toned down the rock style just a bit.

Michael Johns

“Across the Universe”
Bunny: I like him doing a slower song than usual. I would also like to see him let go of that microphone. Let it be, Michael, let it be. His voice is very pleasant. It isn’t an unforgettable performance, but he’s not going anywhere for a while.

Burke: I don’t think I’ve heard that song before, so I’m not sure how it’s supposed to sound. It was okay for me.

Kristy Lee Cook

“Eight Days a Week”
Bunny: She plans to sing this song with a country twist. I’m intrigued but then quickly disappointed. I still like her voice, but this knee-slappin’ cornfest is frantic and unrelenting. The same level is maintained throughout the song, and by the end I’m out of breath. “Positive Paula” is so unimpressed that she doesn’t even compliment Kristy’s sparkly outfit. I admire her guts, but I’m afraid this will probably spell the end for her in spite of her placement near the end of the evening.

Burke: Too country for me, and I like country. That was country when country wasn’t cool. Sing it like Trisha or Carrie, but leave out the twangy arrangement. That may have been the kiss o’ death.

David Archuleta

“We Can Work It Out”
Bunny: He says he wasn’t too familiar with the musical theme. I guess I assumed he was by the fact that he already did “Imagine.” He looks nervous and messes up the lyrics more than once. And someone get that boy some Chapstick. (I think the nurse has like, five sticks in her drawer.) He was definitely stronger when doing slower songs, but showing vulnerability will probably only mobilize his fans in even greater numbers. He will “work it out” again next week.

Burke: Forget the words, much? Much too much, for the do-no-wrong breathless wunderkind. He sure didn’t work it out. That song stunk up the stage. For all those sick of the hype, this was sweet justice.

PREDICTIONS

Bunny: Starting tonight, since contestants will be eliminated one by one, we’re going to pick only one who was worst of the night. For me, there are three candidates for Bunny’s Bomb tonight, but winning that honor is Kristy Lee Cook. She just didn’t fit. Who will actually leave? Hmm. Syesha may be in trouble due to having gone first, but I really think most of the country will be as unimpressed with Kristy as I was.

Burke: All in all, a pretty good show tonight until the two at the end. Burke’s Turkey is David Archuleta by a mile. Leaving tomorrow will be Kountry Kristy.

Prognosticats: Hairball Performance of the evening is by Carly Smithson. Saying goodbye tomorrow will be Amanda Overmyer.
Bunny: Top Dawg for me tonight is Brooke White. Once again, she stood out.

Burke: My Top Dawg is Carly Smithson, with Brooke White a close second.

Prognosticats: Just keep the Dawgs away from us, please.

If you’re just joining us here at Predict Idol, see “How Does This Work?” in the sidebar for more information on our feline prognosticating experiment! And please join us again tomorrow night for the results, when we’ll find out if the Cats can narrow the gap.

How about a little anagram fun with our top 12? We punched the names of the American Idol contestants and judges into our favorite online anagram server, which shook, rattled, and rolled the letters around with some interesting results. There are literally thousands of anagrams for some of the longer names, but we’ve listed some of the more humorous ones that caught our eye. Let’s start by rearranging the term “American Idol” itself.

American Idol
I can dial more
Macaroni deli
Ice on dial arm
Idle macaroni
Airmailed con
Radial income
Radio man lice
Am a nicer idol
Comedian liar
Ironical dame
A criminal ode
O, riled maniac
Nice oil drama
I dial romance
Nice mold aria
No miracle aid

Ryan Seacrest
What do we get when we try the name of our ubiquitous host?

Necessary rat
Canary steers
Cry sane tears
Strays careen
Actress yearn
Nasty careers
Scary earnest
A starry scene
Stare, ye narcs

Paula Abdul
This one doesn’t yield many results because of all the “a’s” and “u’s,” and most of them have something to do with luaus.

Bad luau pal
Laud a LA pub
Laud up a lab
Bald pa luau

Randy Jackson
Let’s try The Dawg next. Here, too, we have a somewhat limited selection.

Darn snack joy
Jack dons yarn
Joy drank cans
Cranks and joy
Darns any jock

Simon Cowell
Here’s where it starts to get interesting.

Smile, O clown
Colonel swim
I smell no cow
Icon mellows
Will con some
Mown collies
Now come ills
Once slim owl
I scowl lemon
Is mellow con

Now, we’ll take the top 12 alphabetically.

David Archuleta
Some of these are unquestionably apropos!

Hi, cuddle avatar
Uh, validate card
Hi, adult cadaver
Ultra diva ached
Ha, cut dead rival
Lad had curative
Teach a rival dud
Ha, lucrative dad
Heard a valid cut
Uh, larvae addict
Heard a diva cult
Lad rude via chat
Have air duct, lad
Ah, cuter diva lad
Had a curved tail

Jason Castro
Jason Castro is a tough one to get good anagrams from.

A cost on jars
Scans jar too
Jar cast soon
Tacos jar son

David Cook
So is this one. Just not enough letters.

Avoid dock
I vodka cod

Kristy Lee Cook
However, there are some good ones for Kristy.

Look, eye tricks
Rockiest yokel
Secretly I kook
To celery kiosk
Elect kooky sir
Yes, tool kicker
Elks try cookie
Look sicker yet
Eek, took lyrics
Look, tyke cries
Troy likes Coke
Eek, tricky solo
Coyote irks elk
Icky terse look
Crooks eye kilt
Strike cool key
City looks reek

Chikezie Eze
Unfortunately, there are no anagrams for Chikezie, not even when you add Eze!

David Hernandez
David has that troublesome “z.”

Hazed divan nerd
Hand driven adze
Hi, dazed van nerd
And never hid adz
Hazed and driven
Vend handier adz

Michael Johns
Next is Michael. Many that were listed by the anagram server included the names Josh and John.

Jam chin holes
Mice lash John
He is calm, John
Lance him, Josh
John, slice ham
Oh, jail mensch
Hi, John’s camel
Mash lice, John

Ramiele Malubay
Ramiele has some good letters to play with, although the “y” can be problematic.

Yum, malarial bee
Mule may be a liar
Ye amiable mural
My lame blue aria
Yea, aim umbrella
Really maim beau
Buy me a lame liar
Ay, a reliable mum
Yea, um, blame liar
Bury a lame email
I am a bleary mule

Syesha Mercado
Let’s rearrange Syesha’s name next.

Hey, do massacre
Drama so cheesy
So my ears ached
Yo, has screamed
Charmed so easy
Do hear my cases
Yea, same chords
She scared mayo
Do ye hear scams?
Yes, do hear scam
She roams decay
My sad ears echo
Hey, adores macs
Shes a racy demo
Yo, chase dreams
Marched so easy
Hears coy dames

Amanda Overmyer
Funny how tough girl Amanda’s anagrams lean toward the rugged.

Remove any drama
A very mad moaner
Very roan madame
Army moved arena
May mar endeavor
Vary ammo earned
Evade Roman army
Mean armed ovary
Mad meaner ovary
Or a nervy madame
A very roman dame
Or a dreamy maven
Over a dreamy man
Move a dreary man

Carly Smithson
Next, we’ll see what the letters in Carly’s name yield.

My tonsil crash
Sly monarchist
My not-rich lass
Minty scholars
Slimy on charts
In stormy clash
Match sirs only
Sly minors chat
Mystical horns
Calm thorny sis
Sly rats con him
Calm shiny sort
Clamor thy sins
Classy hit norm
It carols hymns
Calm horsy snit
Scaly this morn
Shy nostril cam

Brooke White
Last but not least is Brooke.

How to irk bee
Oh, biter woke
Who broke tie?
Threw bookie
Oh, woke tribe
He write book
Ow, he broke it
Boo, wet hiker
Eh, I broke two
I took Hebrew

Next week, we’ll list anagrams for the 12 contestants who were eliminated in the first three weeks of competition.

Know an American Idol fan/word nerd? See the links below to share this post!

Bunny: Just for fun, let’s compare the top 12 predictions we made after Hollywood week with what actually came to pass. Our correct guesses are in green, wrong in red, with the name to the right of who actually made it.

BUNNY: 10 out of 12
David Archuleta
David Cook
Chikezie Eze
David Hernandez
Michael Johns
Kristy Lee Cook
Ramiele Malubay
Syesha Mercado
Carly Smithson
Brooke White
Robbie Carrico Jason Castro
Asia’h Epperson Amanda Overmyer

Yes, I am awesome, thank you for noticing. Let’s go on to our second-place finisher.

BURKE: 7 out of 12
Chikezie Eze
David Hernandez
Michael Johns
Ramiele Malubay
Syesha Mercado
Carly Smithson
Brooke White
Robbie Carrico David Cook
Luke Menard Jason Castro
Jason Yeager David Archuleta
Joanne Borgella Amanda Overmyer
Asia’h Epperson Kristy Lee Cook

PROGNOSTICATS: 5 out of 12
Jason Castro
Michael Johns
Syesha Mercado
Amanda Overmyer
Carly Smithson
Colton Berry David Cook
Luke Menard Chikezie Eze
Danny Noriega David Archuleta
Jason Yeager David Hernandez
Amy Davis Brooke White
Asia’h Epperson Kristy Lee Cook
Kady Malloy Ramiele Malubay

Bunny: These scores don’t mean anything in our overall tally, but they do very nicely for the sake of bragging rights in our household. Do you have anything to say, Burke?

Burke: I would have gotten more right, but the singers didn’t live up to the potential I felt they had.

Bunny: But do you have anything funny to say?

Burke: There’s nothing funny about picking bad singers. 

Bunny: How about you, Cats?

Prognosticats: We concur. It’s all the performers’ fault. Bunch of hairballs, the lot of them.

Bunny: Alrighty, then! (10 out of 12, 10 out of 12, 10 out of 12…)

(Aired 3/6/08)

Bunny: Ryan almost cracks himself up as he gives his usual cheesy, overly dramatic intro. A dozen chairs that look like salon sinks are ready to be filled by Season 7’s top 12.

Blake Lewis opens the show with “How Many Words.” It’s nice to see him again, despite the fact that I am by no means a Blaker Girl. Paula has a jaunty hat on tonight. Maybe that’s what she needs to keep the brain cells from flying out.

Burke: I didn’t really get into the Blake song, but it was tons better than the corny group numbers by the contestants.

Bunny: After a film recapping Tuesday’s male performances, Ryan has the lights dimmed and asks David Cook to stand up and learns that Lionel Richie loved his rendition of “Hello.” To no one’s surprise, he is the first one to occupy a sink-seat. It’s David #2’s turn, Archuleta. Is there any question he is in? No. Jason stands up. He is also through to the top 12. So far, so good.

After the break, we see the girls’ recap, and then we turn our attention to Brooke White. Whew, she’s in. She heads over to the sinks, hopefully to wash and style David Cook’s hair. Syesha Mercado is next to get a silver seat. Third to stand is Kady Malloy. She’s prepared for the bad news, and we watch her departure video. She’s a nice girl but was simply overmatched by the competition.

Burke: This is not a surprise. She is a pretty good singer who picked bad songs.

Bunny: Back to the boys. David Hernandez stands up. He’s in the top 12. Michael Johns is next, and he’s in as well. Uh-oh, now it’s Luke Menard. He is nervous—turns out with good reason. Finally, my prediction comes true. Again, nice person; I hope he does well. Did Ryan just use the word catheter on a singing show?

Burke: Once again, a fairly good singer with bad song choices.

Bunny: Ramiele Malubay is next in the spotlight. America has put her through. Carly Smithson is in, no surprise there. Amanda Overmyer is next, and she’s … in. Oh, boy.

Burke: Noooo! Another week of Amanda’s screeching?

Bunny: It’s going to be Kristy Lee Cook or Asia’h Epperson, equally deserving of the last female spot, in my opinion. The results are that Asia’h is going home, so Kristy squeaks through. Asia’h looks different every time I see her, and she was definitely an interesting addition to this season. She is in tears, like Alaina was, and she is given the choice of whether or not to sing, but she is determined. Her performance is much more serious than last night’s, but our favorite apostrophe’d contestant does well her last time on the Idol stage.

Burke: I’m shocked Asia’h is going home. She’s less of a singer than Kristy but a much better performer. I thought her personality would pull her through. She would have brought life to the 12.

Bunny: Now it’s time to find out the fate of Danny Noriega and Chikezie. Danny is very emotional because of the departures that have already taken place. He sends one last moose-wave to Simon … because he’s out. Wow. I am surprised, but not upset. The only thing I will miss is his sense of humor. The worst thing is that now I’ll have that awful version of “Tainted Love” in my head all night long.

Burke: Chikezie is gon—no, wait, it’s Danny?! Much like with Asia’h and Kristy, personality lost out to ability, which is correct, I suppose, for a singing contest. Not that I’m sad to see Danny go home, but who will be the worstest now?

Bunny: I think America got three out of four right, and I’m pretty happy with the top 12 overall. They are:

GUYS:
David Cook
David Archuleta
Jason Castro
David Hernandez
Michael Johns
Chikezie Eze

GIRLS:
Brooke White
Syesha Mercado
Ramiele Malubay
Carly Smithson
Amanda Overmyer
Kristy Lee Cook

SCORES

Bunny: 2 out of 4
Right about Kady Malloy and Luke Menard
Wrong about Kristy Lee Cook and David Hernandez
(Bunny’s Bombs: 3 out of 4)

Burke: 2 out of 4
Right about Kady Malloy and Luke Menard
Wrong about Kristy Lee Cook and Chikezie
(Burke’s Turkeys: 3 out of 4)

Prognosticats: 0 out of 4
Wrong about Michael Johns, David Hernandez, Carly Smithson, and Amanda Overmyer
(Prognosticats’ Hairballs: 2 out of 4)

Bunny: So the humans are still tied, but they pull ahead of the cats by 2. Check back with us over the next couple of days to see how the actual top 12 compared to our predicted top 12 lists. See you then!