Only 35 million votes this round. Isn't that down from last week? People are tired already. The two hour shows and Paula and Randy's ramblings were a bit much. Then Simon trying to get a smarmy word in edgewise and his fake fights with Paula. Quoting Simon, “The whole thing was like some hideous party performance.” Anyhow, Ryan is wearing a charcoal suit with mid-size collar, deep lavender shirt, and spotted plum tie. It looks serious, yet modern; perfect for this evening. Thank goodness for thirty minute results shows. I felt sure they would drag it out for an hour with Barry performing tonight, but he's a pro. He can sing it and wrap it to go in less time than these kids can get warmed up. If we're lucky, we'll only get a few seconds of the losers' walk of shame song.
Barry Manilow is a pro and probably worth a billion or two. He sang many of the memorable jingles from the past four decades, including Coke and McDonald's. He and Bette Midler carved out new territory in the seventies playing in the gay baths in New York and then becoming stars each in their own right. Tonight he's singing “Love is A Many Splendored Thing”. Like I said, you may not like his product, but he's a musician's musician. He's the type that can probably whistle all the notes in the scale without any sort of prompt. Great musicians are wired up differently from most of us. It's one of Life's mysteries. Another is our sitting here watching Barry Manilow sing this horrible song. How often do you use the word splendored? Or listen to Barry for that matter?
Time for the bottom three. No one in the top row is going. Makes stage movement easier. Bucky, Lisa, and Kevin are the bottom three. Is anyone surprised? I would swap Lisa for Ace and give her another chance, but that's not my choice. Does anyone know the median age of an Idol voter? I'll google that this week and see what comes up. I'm sure they've done surveys. Back from commercial, Lisa is safe. Good for her. Either Bucky or Kevin is going home and it turns out to be Kevin. Ryan says, “Chicken Little leaves us”. He was this year's nerd contestant and fulfilled his duties amiably and with complete conviction. I'm betting his voting block couldn't stay up that late two weeks in a row. See you next week.