This Week In Tonight In American Idol [7 March 2007 Edition]

7:58 PM: Here we go again...

Try to forget this...try to erase this...from the blackboard...

UPDATED: The DialIdol numbers are in, and DHMBIB has them...at the end of the report...

8:00 PM: Paula is AWOL???

8:01 PM: We're doing that "things you didn't know about your Idol wannabes" thing again tonite. They're really boring, so I'm not paying attention.

8:03 PM: First up is Jordin Sparks. Jordin performs "Heartbreaker" by Pat Benatar. Randy loves loves it. Paula loves it. Simon says "not your best"..."screechy"..."not good enough"...

8:11 PM: Next up is Sabrina Sloan. Sabrina performs En Vogue's "Don't Let Go". Randy wants more melody. Paula thinks she did great but wants more melody. Simon agrees with Randy and thinks it reminds him of a hotel resort performance. It sounds "robotic", but she belongs in the top 12.

8:15 PM: Next up is Antonella Barba. Antonella performs Corrine Bailey Rae's "Put Your Records On". The judges want to get rid of this uncomfortable thing with Antonella. Randy and Paula said blah blah blah. Simon says: "I wish you could sing better"...

8:23 PM: Next up is Haley Scarnato. Haley performs Faith Hill's "If My Heart Had Wings". It's mediocre at best. Randy says it was "mediocre" and had no "Whoa!" [sorry, misheard it] "Yo!". Paula agrees. Simon calls it "horrible". Simon says it was like a "high school performance".

8:28 PM: Next up is Stephanie Edwards. Stephanie performs Mary J. Blige's "Sweet Thing". Of course, Stephanie nails it. Randy calls it "pitchy". Paula calls it "flawless". Simon says Stephanie "is one of the best we've got" and predicts she'll make the final 12.

8:33 PM: Wait -- I thought Paula was absent tonite??? What's up with that???

8:36 PM: Next up is LaKisha Jones. LaKisha performs Whitney Houston's "I Have Nothing". Is it just me, or is it just "okay"? Randy calls it the best of the week. Paula calls her the "next" American Idol. Simon warns her to watch out for her outfit.

DHMBIB <3's LaKisha. But we want to warn her -- don't be the next Mandisa!!!

Can we call a vocal truce on the following artists: Whitney Houston; Celine Dion; Christina Aguilera; LeAnn Rimes; & Stevie Wonder??? PLEASE???

8:45 PM: Next up is Gina Glocksen. Gina performs Evanescence's "Call Me When You're Sober". It's EXACTLY the right choice for Gina. Randy says, "finally, the real Gina". Paula warns her not to "over-sing" it. Simon is also happy that the "real Gina" has shown up.

Best performance of the nite, DHMBIB says.

8:54 PM: Last up is Melinda Doolittle. Melinda performs a song I'm still looking up Peggy Lee's "Because I'm A Woman" [thanx, Kimberly!].

Did I say Gina Glocksen had the best performance of the nite???

It's awesome that Melinda drew the long straw, because all the judges agree -- Melinda is the one to beat right now.

9:00 PM: My sister and I both agree that Antonella and Haley deserve to go tonite. Will the voters agree? Tune in Thursday nite to find out...

UPDATED 4:30 AM: DialIdol has the final 8 women in this order: 1) Melinda Doolittle; 2) Lakisha Jones; 3) Gina Glocksen; 4) Antonella Barba [NO!!!]; 5) Jordin Sparks; 6) Sabrina Sloan; 7) Haley Scarnato; 8) Stephanie Edwards.