Thoughts on American Idol. I don’t know what to think about this season. So many of the people this season just seem kind of bland and forgettable. There are a couple of them that really stand out for me, but it seems like they may be on the exit track. I absolutely LOVED Amanda, I thought she was original and sassy and a fantastic singer and I was so shocked when she got voted off last week. It seems like that just takes the flavor right out of the competition. My 2nd favorite is Carlie and she was also in the bottom 3, which was also shocking. I completely expected to see Amanda and Carlie in the finals, so seeing them in the bottom 3 really makes me wonder about the people who are voting. Of course, these are the same people who kept Sanjaya in for about 7 rounds, so I guess you have to take it with a grain of salt.

As for the boys, you’ve got a mixed bag and no big standouts. Chikezie has a nice Teddy Pendergrass-like feel, but he’s not very consistent. Jason has a decent voice and is simply gorgeous. He really should be on a show like Make Me a Supermodel, but I’d love to hold him down and shave off all those durn, dirty, nasty dreadlocks. Those things just gross me out – ugh!

That guy from Australia, I can’t think of his name, he just looks uncomfortable. He’s not a bad singer, but hasn’t got any stage presence. And the rocker guy, David Hernandez (I think?) He just needs to go. He’s like a bad imitation of Chris Daughtry. There was one guy in Hollywood week who looked like a Bo Bice reincarnation. I wish he’d made it through, he would have been a lot more interesting.

Now David Archuletta is another thing. Don’t think I’m prejudiced because he’s a Utah boy, but he’s got a lot of talent for a High School kid. I just hope he can handle the pressure. I don’t think these kids have any clue how much being on this show can change their lives. Last month, he was just another High School kid, but if he stays with it long enough, he’ll be coming home to a huge parade and signing autographs and all this stuff. Everyone he’s known for years will be treating him totally differently and he won’t be able to go to the store or just hang out with his friends without people pestering him. I think that’s hard to get used to for a kid that age.

Brooke White and Christy Lee should have been long gone. They are just like white bread to me. They have nice voices and they are definitely nice to look at, but to me, they just don’t have Idol-quality talent. Same thing with Ramiel. She’s a cute little thing and has a big voice for a little girl, but she doesn’t have the confidence needed to pull off these big performances. I’m betting that she’ll go home this week. Don’t tell me though. I record the show on my Tivo and watch it back later, so I’m always a day or so behind. I have to really watch what I look at on the Internet because all the Internet news services are breaking their necks to tell everyone the results of shows like these.

I love Tivo! I especially love the feature to fast-forward through all the commercials. With 5-7 minutes of commercials between each segment, I figure I miss about a week of commercials every year. Sheesh!

What do you think about the new set? Durn! I’m thinking it’s about time. Those corny graphics and stuff from the first few seasons really needed to go. Now if they could just get a new host, I’d be delighted with it. I never could stand Ryan Seacrest. He just makes it seem like too much work. I much prefer someone light and breezy like Tom Bergeron from Dancing with the Stars. I loved him on America’s Funniest Videos and I love, love, love him on Dancing with the Stars. He’s so funny and has such a quick wit and just makes it all seem effortless.