Idol Recap: America, What’s Your Deal?

Some things just boggle the mind. Like for instance, how that Nicolas Cage movie beat that Julia Roberts/Clive Owen movie AND Watchmen AND I Love You, Man at the box office last weekend. Sometimes we just don’t get people’s taste. Right now, we are questioning how America could put Matt Giraud in the bottom two last night and didn’t automatically eliminate Megan Joy or Scott MacIntyre. Enough is enough, people! We’re stunned. Luckily, Matt was safe and the Texas oil-rigger with a hard candy shell but a soft center, Michael Sarver, went home. (But we don’t have to cry about it, all these people are going on tour this summer, let’s not forget that.) Here are our favorite moments from the show:

5. Smokey Robinson’s Anti-Aging Miracles

Yesterday a friend asked us where Smokey Robinson gets his youth serum and after last night, we’re starting to wonder too, the man is just not aging. Plus he acts like he’s one of the kids — the way he performed with Joss Stone made it look like the two were besties who were going to get a beer after the show. He was a great mentor this week who seemed genuinely interested in each contestant and we love him even more now than we did before.

4. Did I Studdard?

We’re relegated to watching Idol in low-definition because the audio on Fox is glitchy in HD. When Ruben Studdard took the stage in a white-trimmed black suit, it looked like an enormous tuxedo T-shirt on our low-def screen. However, even with the old-timey picture quality we could see the sweat pouring off the man, poor guy.

3. Special Guest, Stevie Wonder

Perhaps the very special surprise performance by Stevie Wonder was a small token of apology from the producers to the viewers, a way of saying they were sorry we’d have to endure another week of mediocrity from Megan and Scott. It was a pretty great surprise, but it won’t make us forget what we’ll have to deal with next week. Also, there’s nothing more awkward than watching the contestants groove to the music.

2. Oh, The Injustice!

So Megan Joy wasn’t even in the bottom three. Scott MacIntyre wasn’t in the bottom two. And Matt Giraud looked genuinely pissed that he was sitting on an uncomfortable stool for an hour while everyone else got to chill on the comfy couches. (Speaking of couches, we really miss the Coca-Cola upholstery from the balcony-holding area, anyone else?) We understand how people’s tastes differ but if we didn’t know any better we’d say there was some funny business going on with the voting. Either that or people really are just smitten with the hot blonde and the triumphant blind guy. Our notes from the show read “Megan – Safe???” and “Matt G – BOTTOM THREE!!!” – the results actually made us get emotional in Microsoft Word. But next week if one of those guys isn’t booted, we’re going to start a letter-writing campaign.

1. Judges’ Save Was SOCLOSE to being used!

After it was announced that Michael Sarver and his meh rendition of “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg” were being sent home, he had to sing for his life for the Judges’ Save. Sarver’s performance seemed more spirited than the night before and there was an especially long deliberation by the judges over whether to keep him, which was nice to see, it made it seem like they were genuinely torn. I mean, the guy calls Seacrest “Sir,” he’s definitely endearing. Then, just as Simon was saying whatever he said to Michael (we assume it was “No” but for all we know it could have been “So long, you sexy roughneck oil-rigging beast”) the DVR cut off and somewhere in between the last second of Idol and the first second of Hell’s Kitchen, it was lost. I guess we’ll never know, but from the farewell montage, we knew he would not be saved.

Final Thoughts:
Ryan Seacrest is always good for a laugh, like last night when he messed with Kara by saying, “I’ve got three words for you: Kara DioGuardi.” And she looked completely confused, not realizing it was a goof on her from the previous night.

Someday we too hope to fly on a private jet to Detroit. With gold steps!

It was nice to see Paula Abdul (in a rubber dress, was it?) singing along to every Stevie Wonder song flawlessly. It made us forget how used to seeing her slur her words we are.

During the Ford video for “Pocketful of Sunshine” we realized that ten voices singing in unison sounds just like one Natasha Bedingfield, oddly enough.