I really do like females, you know. I like the way they sing, the way they look, maybe even the way they smell. So this year's "American Idol" is getting tougher for me.
The finals started with eight men and only five women. Since then, it has shed Jorge Nunez, Jasmine Murray and now Alexis Grace; that makes it 7-3 and way out of kilter.
I expected Jasmine to go last week, but Alexis was a jolt. Tiny (not quite 5-foot and 100 pounds), she has a big, bluesy voice that's been molded in her years in Memphis. She's a real talent, sort of Kristen Bell without the acting.
Alas, for country week she chose "Jolene," a terrific Dolly Parton song that doesn't give much extra room for the singer to show off. Her version Tuesday was too muted; on Wednesday -- going for a reprieve by the judges -- she gave it a gutsy, gritty, passionate try.
The circumstances were perfect -- singing "I'm begging you please" to judges who could spare her. They didn't.
Here are a few other comments; please add yours:
1) It was logical to see Michael Sarver at second from the bottom. He's a likable guy and a good singer, but the jet-paced song he chose offered no opportunity for individual initiative. All you can do is grab the song at full gallop and hope you don't fall off.
2) It was disturbing, though, to see Allison Iraheta as the next-lowest. She belted powerfully; this is a tough year for women.
3) Sometimes you hear that a song is kinda-country. Well, make note of this: "I Told You So" -- the song Carrie Underwood and Randy Travis sang tonight -- is WAY country. All the ghosts of "Grand Ole Opry" could cheer that one.
4) The show keeps jerking around with people's emotions. This time, it made Sarver think he was safe, then sent him to the bottom three.
5) Sarver shouldn't have told that story about his 3-year-old daughter wanting him home. Next week, viewers will feel no guilt about skipping him.
6) Next week, incidentally, could be a good one for Matt Giraud of Kalamazoo. The shows -- pushed back to Wednesday and Thursday, because of a presidential speech Tuesday -- feature Motown music, something he grew up on.
7) Motown? I hope Lil Rounds and Iraheta unleash the best Gladys Knight songs around. (Aretha Franklin, alas, hasn't recorded for Motown.) We can't afford to lose any more good women.
I actually thought they'd save Alexis not necessarily based on her emotion-soaked re-performance of "Jolene," but simply because of what you point out, Mike -- there are so few women left on the show. But I suppose they didn't want to burn their "save" card too early in the competition. It just goes to show you that, much like "Top Chef," it doesn't matter that you wowed 'em the previous week. It's all about what you're doing this week. And I have to say, as much as I liked Alexis doing "Dirty Diana" last week, "Jolene" was just forgettable.
I think it speaks volumes that the country guy was in the bottom two during country week. He's not long for this show, either. But at least he'll go on tour and sing some country songs, then cut an album.
I think Megan needs to pop in "Standing in the Shadows of Motown" right now and study Joan Osbourne's performance of "What Becomes of the Broken-hearted?" She could really sell that (plus, she'd see a really awesome documentary).