I agree about the aw shucks, and I think he did much less of it tonight. As Pauler told him, just soak it in.
David Archuleta did alright. Color me unimpressed, really. I have the feeling he’s going to become a one-trick pony soon, and though he sounds good, I’ll be really impressed if he has the diversity to sing something other than a ballad or “smooth” song.
Hang the headless corpse off the rearview mirror is how I interpreted her string of words…Yeesh. Pauler, Pauler, Pauler. I agree with at least one previous poster that she was remarkably coherent tonight otherwise.
I really like Luke Menard and I loved that performance.
Chikezie redeemed himself! Loved the song and the performance and damn I want to take him shopping for clothes.
Yeager sucked, bit, and blew in a very unfortunate fashion.
Last week I thought that David Cook had serial killer eyes, and he really creeped me out. This week, aside from an unfortunate physical resemblance to Edgar from Men In Black I during the interview portion of our show, he came off as personable, he had living eyes, and his performance was decent even though it didn’t do anything for me. I would have tossed a couple of votes his way.
When he mouthed off to Simon, though, the fucker’s eyes went dead again. I wouldn’t vote for the guy for money.
Except for that, it was a really enjoyable show.
I, for one, read them!
Especially when I get home late from work - again! - and miss it all. I keep refreshing americanidol.com, iTunes and YouTube in the vain hope that someone will get these clips online, pronto! Mama needs her J. Castro fix!
At least I can read all of your posts to get a vicarious preview.
So next week is gonna be the eighties and after that the nineties?
Just wanted to say that my husband called him David Enchilada, and David Enchilada shall he be from now on for me.
Pauler was seriously hitting on someone tonight, but it wasn’t David Enchilada (she just wants to squish his head) - maybe it was David Hernandez.
I don’t think David Cook looks like a serial killer - I think he was just regretting what he said to Simon. He’s smart enough to know that he has to win the crowds, not Simon, but not smart enough to keep his piehole shut about it.
Spoilers on girl’s songs for tonight
- Carly Smithson, “Crazy On You” (Heart)
- Syesha Mercado,“Me And Mr. Jones (changed from Mrs. to Mr.) (Billy Paul
- Brooke White, “You’re So Vain” (Carly Simon)
- Ramiele Malubay, “Don’t Leave Me This Way” (Thelma Houston)
- Kristy Lee Cook, “You’re No Good” (Linda Ronstadt)
- Amanda Overmyer,“Carry On My Wayward Son” (Kansas)
- Alaina Whitaker, "Hopelessly Devoted To You” (Olivia Newton-John)
- Alexandrea Lushington, “If You Leave Me Now” (Chicago)
- Kady Malloy, “Magic Man” (Heart)
- Asia’h Epperson, All By Myself" (Eric Carmen)
Courtesy of ‘Idol Thoughts’
Sweet! I like some of those songs. I hope they don’t get mangled too badly! 
Ugh.
As much as I like Rocker Nurse (we had the same hair not too long ago), I have a horrible feeling she is going to screech, scream, and basically wreck that song.
Go, EASY, Amanda. Eeeeasyyyyyyyy…
As the Aussies would say: Singing that song A’seia? That’s a paddlin’!
I’m with Millit the Frail on this one. Archuleta was OK, definitely in the top half of the performers last night, but I’m already tired of the judges bowing down in awe of him every week. I’m tire of the “beyond his years” crap. If it keeps up he will soon have my irrational hatred. I didn’t care for the song arrangement on “Imagine.” I hate it when performers take a song that has a simple and beautiful melody and puke extra notes all over it.
That said, he was still in my top 5. First was David Hernandez. Yowza, that was hot. Great song, he sang it perfectly, and the performance was really good. He’s quickly becoming a favorite for me. I also really, really liked David Cook this week, which is interesting because I didn’t care for him that much last week. Chekezie was also great this week, and comes in third for me. Followed by David Archuleta and then Jason Castro for my top 5 of the night.
Worst of the night, I thought, were Jason Yeager and Luke Menard. (My poor, poor gorgeous Luke. I told my husband last night that something America might not know about him is that he’s my boyfriend.) Third worst was Robbie. I really want to like him, but I agree that he’s not coming off as authentic. David Cook is the much more authentic rocker. Even David Hernandez rocked harder than he did last night.
Oh, and Liberal, I always read your rankings. Look forward to them, as a matter of fact.
Me too, Liberal!
Last night’s official song list:
Chikezie Eze “I Believe To My Soul” - Donny Hathaway
Danny Noriega “Superstar” - The Carpenters
David Archuleta “Imagine” - John Lennon
David Cook “All Right Now” - Free
David Hernandez “Papa Was A Rolling Stone” - The Temptations
Jason Castro “I Just Want To Be Your Everything” - Andy Gibb
Jason Yeager “Long Train Runnin’” - The Doobie Brothers
Luke Menard “Killer Queen” - Queen
Michael Johns “Go Your Own Way” - Fleetwood Mac
Robbie Carrico “Hot Blooded” - Foreigner
Jason Yeager is vastly improved if you close your eyes. You get to hear his not-bad voice, and miss all the smiling & winking & pointing crap.
I suspect David Archuleta cut the first two verses of “Imagine” cuz of the atheistic sentiment therein, and didn’t want to tick off any potential voters. But this is Cafe Society, not Great Debates.
And Paula’s “squish your head and hang you from my rearview mirror” is possibly the best, funniest, most surrealisticly bizarre thing I’ve ever heard on Idol. And from such an unlikely source, too.
Okay, then. Since I have the notes anyway. 
Michael Jones, B-
For me, he’s starting to sound and behave like a cover band singer. I want to see him do something that illustrates a skill beyond copying.
Jason Castro, B
A touch of innovation here and there. I think Pauler was right that he uses the guitar as a crutch and should sing without it next time.
Luke Menard, B+
The voice was good, but the performance seemed forced. The facial expressions were downright weird at times. But I did enjoy it overall.
Robbie Carrico, C+
Not very good. Better than most people (including me) could do, but. It was almost like Tom Jones wearing a Willie Nelson costume.
Danny Noriega, B+
I don’t know how to tell him this without hurting his feelings, but his diva femme persona and mannerisms just won’t market beyond a small niche. I don’t know whether it’s a learned or inherited behavior, but I wish he could dial it back or else have the operation, because he sang this one quite well.
David Hernandez, B-
Too scary. Really forced. And yet, the voice is quite good. He needs to figure out who he is and act like himself.
Jason Yeager, C-
Bad. Actually bad. Cruise ship bad. Wedding singer bad. I’m talking almost purely performance and interpretation here. He can carry a tune, which saved him from a D.
Chikezie, B
A jolly, fat-jowled, likeable fellow. Much more into his song than he was last week. Unfortunately, I’m afraid that this is as good as he gets. I suspect there’s nothing more there than we saw last night.
David Cook, B+
Drop the guitar and don’t ever pick it up again. I can play better than you can. I’m glad you’re cerebral because this is a concept you need to grasp. That said, you’re a pretty good rocker. I like that you didn’t copy the original singer.
David Archuleta, A+
Perfection in every way — in how it was sung (note perfect), in how it was rendered (soulful and heartful), in how it was performed (dignified), and in how it was arranged (updated and improved). I realize that when a singer begins to gather too many accolades, some people balk but I don’t care. I don’t go by stuff like that. He is an extraordinary talent. And I agree with him that the verse he chose is the best. I don’t know whether he can maintain this level. We’ll see.
I liked Chikezie. He was being a sex machine.
I haven’t been in these thread this much this year, but I need to bring something up from last week. Maybe it’s been discussed, maybe not.
last week, one of the girls finished singing, and Ryan says to her, “Those shoes are gorgeous. . .I mean, they’re great. . .I mean, they match your outfit.” He did it very self-awaredly.
The Trunklation, “just to quelch the rumors, yes I am gay.”
Thanks, Liberal. We’d hate to have those notes go to waste.
In response to the last part of your post: maintaining at the level he performed last night could definitely be an issue for David A. I hope that for his sake it’s not true (I really do like the kid, although not to the point that I want to squish his head), but I’m afraid that for the rest of the season we’ll be listening to the judges tell him his performances are good, but not as good as “Imagine.” It’s a tough line for the performers to walk, when the judges want you to wow them early on but you need to save some wow for later or you become just “consistent” every week and get sent home too soon.
Liberal, I have to completely disagree with your grade for David Hernandez, I think he deserves at least an A- (I’d give him an A, myself). Easily the second best performance of the night and I actually enjoyed the performace better than David A., but that is just because I like higher energy songs as a personal preference.
Well if the predictions from Dial Idol tell us anything it looks like the only thing people want to do is vote for David A. I don’t recall seeing anyone ever having such a lopsided lead in their results this early in the show.
I liked the two Davids best, and the rockers were all right. Chik was much better this week.
I think Carrico and Castro might be leaving.
I can’t believe the love for David Hernandez. The cheesiness in his performance was upstaged by Jason Yeager, which may be the reason everyone is now glossing over it. If a word in his song contains two notes, then he pops his jaw so that everyone at home can keep up with the fact that he’s moving up or down the scale. The fake emotion is was over-the-top, beginning with his crappy fake walk down the stairs.
I think American Idol has desensitized the viewing public to the enormous quantities of Velveeta contained within the show nowadays.