What a difference three letters can make. Go from "dam" to "lex" and you go from the pinnacle to the abyss.
A year ago on "American Idol," Adam Lambert was showing awesome talent, tasted and originality. Tonight, Alex Lambert (no relation, no comparison) nervously did a rote performance.
Sure, it's not a fair comparison. Adam had been on his own for eight years, singing in rock bands and "Wicked" and more; Alex had performed two or three times in coffeehouses.
Still, it illustrates a difference: Last year had great guys. This year? The women (see previous blog) were great Tuesday; the men were weak tonight. Here are some of my comments, please add yours:
1) The one totally solid performance was from Casey James, 27, the Texan with an easy country charm.
2) Michael Lynche remains immensely likable. Big Mike is known mainly for becoming a dad in the midst of Hollywood Week. Still, he's a solid and amiable performer.
3) Coming pretty close: Jermaine Sellars, 27, a church singer from Joliet, Ill., who has a terrific voice. The judges were harder on him than they needed to be.
4) For that matter, the judges were too hard on lots of people. This was a bad night, not an awful one.
5) Also coming close, the husky-voiced Lee Dewyze. He's a paint-store salesman, like John Travolta in "Saturday Night Fever."
6) Another one coming close: Aaron Kelly, 16, a high school student who did a good (if unexceptional) job on Rascal Flatts' "Here Comes Goodbye."
7) It was a tough night for falsettos in general. Tim Urban, Joe Munox and Todrick Hall all had trouble; Kelly was better.
8) To study the proper falsetto -- or the proper anything else -- catch Adam Lambert. He'll be on "Tonight" Tuesday; while there, he can become best friends with another guest, Sarah Palin.
9) My prediction for the guys? On Thursday, Alex Lambert and John Park will be the first ones going home.
10) And among women? I'll predict that Lacey Brown and Haeyley Vaughn will go. They're in a great field; the guys aren't.