Update: Ryan Seacrest tweeted a “cryptic” message just minutes ago. Ryan Seacrest: “Prepping for major announcement tmrw. Keep an eye on my twitter after 8am east & watch @JLo on @TodayShow #rhymingisfun”. Now if that doesn’t confirm our suspicions…

Sources close to Ryan Seacrest and the Jennifer Lopez camp are hinting that the “On The Floor” diva will be returning to the American Idol judging panel next season. We recently reported that Randy Jackson and Steven Tyler have both signed on for Idol’s 11th season (already holding auditions in a city near you). Jennifer Lopez might not be far behind. As of a month ago, JLo was unsure of her Idol status, considering she is planning a talent show with hubby Marc Antony.

Judges returning to American Idol

Sources close to both Idol and JLo are hinting at an announcement any day now. If so, here’s to hoping that next year’s panel adds more criticism to their comments, or the Idol franchise is in danger of becoming stale especially with the success behind The Voice and the upcoming X Factor.

JLo Not Returning to Idol?

American Idol crowned its 10th winner, Scotty McCreery, back in May with judges Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler on the panel. Should JLo return, the trio will be back together for a second consecutive season after the shifting of Kara DioGuardi, Paula Abdul and Ellen Degeneres.

It’s quite a busy day here at the Yak, but we’ll keep delivering the news! For this reality round-up, we have news from two of the biggest reality competitions today. We have confirmation that Randy Jackson and Steven Tyler will be returning to the judge’s table on American Idol next year. Randy’s contract is not quite up and Steven signed a multi-year deal, so neither of these are real surprises. The question is still up in the air for the woman from the block. No word from Jennifer Lopez or the Lopez camp regarding a return to the Idol main stage. As we reported earlier, she may want to pursue furthering her movie career, as well as her reality show in development with hubby Marc Antony.

Jennifer Lopez Not Returning to Idol?

In other news, Christina Aguilera, Blake Shelton, Cee Lo Green, and Adam Levine will be returning to The Voice next season to help coach and mentor a new set of contestants on the hit NBC show. Last night, The Voice crowned Javier Colon as its inaugural winner during a show full of show-stopping performances with some pretty big name stars. The likes of Miranda Lambert, Ryan Tedder, Pat Monahan and Stevie Nicks helped with the night’s festivities as Javier was victorious.

The Voice Goes Live

Both American Idol and The Voice will be holding auditions this summer and return to the small screen midseason.

It was just a couple of weeks ago that Randy Jackson assured us that all of the judges, himself, Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez were to return for next season. Jennifer Lopez, however, is not so sure.

Jennifer Lopez was a big hit with fans this last season on American Idol.  She brought a certain amount of knowledge and stardom that the show had been lacking since Paula Abdul was abruptly asked to not return two seasons ago.  While Randy Jackson stated recently that all three judges would be back, it looks like he might have been lying to America.  Jennifer Lopez may in fact NOT return.

When asked yesterday if she were going to return to the AI panel next season, J-Lo could not confirm. Mind you, she didn’t just flat out say no, but she is apprehensive to say the least.  “I’m very, kind of on the fence about it. I had an amazing time doing it and I loved it, but I have a lot of other things happening and it’s going to come down to making a choice of…what I want to do for the next year,” she said. So Ms. Lopez didn’t completely blow it off, but she wasn’t a 100% yes as Randy had proclaimed.

What do you think? Would you miss her on the judging panel if she were to bow out? Let us know below!

Haley Reinhart, one of American Idol’s final 3 contenders for the top spot, took a pretty hard fall during her “contestants choice” performance of  Led Zeppelin‘s “What Is and Should Never Be.”

Walking toward the judges table, she tripped on the stairs, fell to her hands and knees, but got right back up. It didn’t seem to affect her, or her performance in the least. Now that is a professional! Her father, Harry, was playing guitar on the Zeppelin performance. I am surprised we didn’t see him run out to try and catch her!

Once the performance was finished, the judges, of course, had to confront the elephant in the room. Steven Tyler asked “Would you fall for me?” but then continued to praise her for the performance. Jennifer Lopez also praised her, and added that this past weekend even she fell: “I’ve fallen, Beyonce’s fallen … You keep going. It’s a sign of a professional who knows what they’re doing.” Randy Jackson thought it was a planned fall.

A planned fall? Yeah, that one confused me too.

Anyway, Reinhart was a-ok, and in fact was awarded the first round victory in tonight’s 3 person stand off.

What do you think? Helped, hurt, or neither? Let us know below!

Well, American Idol has whittled it’s way down to the top three: Lauren Alaina, Haley Reinhart and Scotty McCreery. James Durbin was sent packing last night, which in my opinion, was pretty surprising. In fact, just based on the poll here, it seems it surprised many. This season has actually surprised many with their eliminations. Pia was a surprise elimination that seemed to irritate many of the Idol watchers. In fact, many stopped watching from that point forward. Between the judges not being critical of anyone, the push of certain performers, etc. this season has kinda been a drag to many. In fact, the first time I have heard the judges actually be critical was this week’s performance night, to Haley.

So, why was James eliminated? What made someone who has never found himself in the bottom three suddenly eliminated, and another Idol who has been in the bottom three repeatedly, not only safe from elimination, but not even in the bottom two?

My theory? It comes down to two words: Adam Lambert.

Yes, our old Idol friend Adam Lambert last week endorsed Haley. This came as a surprise to many, since many have been comparing Durbin to Lambert, including James who tried to model himself a bit after him, so we thought Lambert would return the favor and either endorse James, or endorse no one. Well, he endorsed Haley. Many of us have wondered why? That is not to say Haley is not a great singer by any means, but when you ask around, there are many that think Adam may have shown his preference for her because of the competition James may bring him, or that he was tired (or jealous) of hearing people compare James to him. Some of James’ fans have even gone so far as to say he is better than Lambert. So, taking all the chatter around the net about James, it seems Adam made the choice to try and distance himself from The Durbin.

Lambert endorsed Haley all over Twitter. Lambert has over a million followers. So, coincidence? I think not. Did loyal Lambert fans send the rocker packing?

Quite frankly, I don’t think that former Idols should endorse the current contestants, as it gives an unfair advantage, but, that’s just me.

What do you think? Let us know below, then come on in the the FORUM where we are discussing James’ Elimination and have a poll HERE to see if you think Lambert had anything to do with it!

It was bound to happen, and we all got to see a little piece of it Tuesday night. (That is, if you watched The Voice this week. If you haven’t seen this show, this writer thinks you should go check it out!)

The Voice coach, Adam Levine from Maroon 5, made a comment on Tuesday’s show, speaking to a contestant that did not get a coach to turn around during their “blind audition”. He said, “The people that we’re not turning our chairs around for could win American Idol,” after he and fellow celebrities Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green and Blake Shelton decided not turn their chairs either. We all heard it, and many of us in the forum, and around Twitter, commented on it.

So far, we had heard nothing from the ‘Idol-sphere’ really about The Voice, and how they really feel about the competition, until today.

Randy Jackson told the Hollywood Reporter today that “It’s a great thing when talent can be simple, honest and revered as opposed to spinning around with gimmicky chairs. Maybe Simon Cowell should have people opening doors. Like, ‘Knock, knock. Who’s singing? I can’t see you!“

He continued, “Look, none of these other shows could exist without somebody forging the path before them. I’m happy to say that Idol did that and paved the way.”

The Voice itself has premiered with some very impressive ratings, and has certainly impressed me. So much so, that I have stopped watching Idol. To me, Idol has lost it’s special something, and I think it was the right timing for Simon to leave. The judges are no longer judging the contestants, but are more a cheerleading section, and I find myself really disliking Jimmy Iovine. I would much rather see the contestants do what they want to do on their own. Let them be individuals, and find within themselves the artist they wish to be, rather than be coached by this guy. A little less arrogance, and some more humble pie would be nice Mr. Iovine.

Jackson states his only fear is that “with all these shows coming is that people don’t tire of the format,” he adds. “I don’t know how much singing at you the public can take” referring to The Voice, America’s Got Talent and Cowell’s X Factor premiering in the Fall.

Personally, I can take a lot, if it’s good. I don’t find The Voice gimmicky. In fact, it seems to me they came up with a format that could work for seasons to come… New judges can be brought in every season, allowing for a fresh take every time.

What do you think? Agree with Randy, or do you think Idol may have met it’s match?

This week on Idol: The Top 5 finalists, Lauren Alaina, James Durbin, Jacob Lusk, Scotty McCreery and Haley Reinhart will perform songs from “Now and Then” – One current song of their choice, and one from the 1960′s.

Thursday, the live result show will feature a performance by Idol Judge Jennifer Lopez with Rapper PitBull and a performance by Lady Antebellum. In addition, sometime this week, we should be seeing the premier of the video of “Judas” by Lady Gaga. We are unsure whether this will be on the performance show or the elimination. We here at the Yak are guessing it will be on elimination night however, seeing that they wouldn’t want to steal the spotlight from the Idols, and that they usually jam pack a lot of stuff on elimination night.

So, what do you think? Do you like the idol theme for this week? Looking forward to the performances on elim night? Leave us a comment below, and be sure to join us in the forum to talk about all things Idol!

The Idol powers that be must have known it was impossible to compete with Royal Wedding hoopla reaching its frenzied crescendo.  What else could explain the scheduling of Crystal Bowersox and her tired song about singing a song when you want to sing it, along with Bruno Mars and his just plain stupid song about feeling lazy?  Your regular correspondent must have predicted this lack of enthusiasm himself, with the result that he’s once again abandoned his post.  Alas, we’ll soldier on like the good knights of future King William and Queen Catherine’s round table.

Not that no effort was made.  Indeed, the show did try tapping into monarchical fever by sending the potential heirs to Lee DeWyze’s throne to the British Consulate, where the terrible, fake British accents flowed as freely as the warm beer.  Were Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow brought in as party mentors?  Back on American soil, we received a quick, surprising result, with Haley – dressed rather like a gypsy accountant – was called up and sent to safety.  She even sassed Jimmy Iovine – albeit, a videotaped Jimmy Iovine – when he suggested she didn’t know who she was yet.

Given her lackluster elaboration, though – if you have to ask the audience if you have soul, Haley, you probably don’t – we could have used some additional sass from Jacob.  He had reason, with Jimmy asking if he got lost on the “Dancing With the Stars” set before suggesting his resulting outfit was reason to be sent home.  Especially since the frequently fashion-challenged Lauren – on the back of a definite off-night – was criticized only for not believing how good she actually is.  Maybe she – unlike the mentors or judges – actually heard herself on Tuesday and didn’t buy the idea that endearing imperfection and just plain not hitting any of the right notes are different phenomena.

If Jimmy was wrong about Lauren – and wrong/moderately homophobic about Jacob – he was spot-on in his critique of Casey.  The “growling” – or, more accurately, the unhinged grunting of an obscene prank caller – went to a whole new level of obnoxious on Tuesday.  “The family dog doesn’t vote” was one of the best criticisms delivered by any Power That Be this season.  The continuing praise/voting for Casey post-“Smells Like Team Spirit” was loopier than Paula Abdul after rifling through Courtney Love’s medicine cabinet.  Thankfully, the American people finally made like Henry VIII and sent Casey to the Tower, where he’ll be safely locked away until it’s time to bring his special brand of creepy to a town near you this summer.

And with that, we wrap up this wrap-up so we can get to bed in time to rise for the wedding of the century.  Until Brad and Angelina take the plunge, anyway.  Before hitting the hay, share your thoughts on tonight’s show.  Were you more surprised that Haley was safe or that Scotty wasn’t?  Will you really miss Casey?  Will Kate Middleton wear Alexander McQueen?  Are honey badgers just kind of mean and stupid?

Next week’s elimination show should be a good one, as long as your favorite isn’t eliminated anyway. The performance show I will admit, I am a little skeptical about.

For the performances, the Idol troup will have their choice of music from the Carole King song-book. Do you think we will get a growling version of Natural Woman from Haley? Or maybe Casey will take on that one? I guess we will all need to stay tuned to find out.

As for the elimination show, Crystal Bowersox makes her return to the Idol Stage singing, probably, something off her post Idol debut album Farmer’s Daughter that was released last December. Bruno Mars is also set to perform that night and just a wild guess will choose The Lazy Song since that is his latest release off of his album Doo – Wops & Hooligans. Will he bring the monkeys? I am actually really pleased with the line-up and may just watch the whole show without forwarding this time! How about you? Leave us a comment below and let us know!

American Idol’s Randy Jackson recently held an interview with some guy named Ryan Seacrest over yonder at E!News, and told Ryan that because of the controversial elimination of Pia Toscano a couple weeks ago, that the show could use more ‘saves’ for the judges to use. Randy said “We might need to have, in the top 13, one save, and then in the top 10—up to the top five, another save, because I felt that Pia was starting to hit her stride…I think we have to come up with some sort of system – because what we want, ultimately, Ryan, is a duel to the finish. The two best ones to be there at the end, duke-ing it out. We had that at the end with Clay and Ruben, we’ve had that a couple of times, but we haven’t had that every time, you know? If it comes down to the two guys I think it’ll come down to, it’ll be a fight to the finish, and a great fight of the finish. We need that kind of end, you know what I mean? Oh my god.”

More saves? I personally feel that there are too many already. If America doesn’t pick up the phone for someone, well, then their journey should be over. I wasn’t completely happy with the ‘saves’ or choices I guess they are called, of the last 3 contestants to enter the top 13. I mean, I agreed on a couple of them, one most defintely not. To me, if they want to add yet another save, then take away their picks for the top 12, and use that for a later save.

Many also have expressed anger over them using it on Casey, when they could have saved it for Pia. Well, I was actually happy they used it on him. It all comes down to taste I guess.

What do you think? Should the judges have more saves or do you think they have one too many already? Will they petition for even more saves the year after that? Wouldn’t that make the show go on forever? Also, he mentions he thinks it will come down to two boys. Which two do you think he is referring to, and do you agree that is who it should come down to? Leave us a comment below and let us know!

Also, don’t forget to check out the Yak Forum! We are ALWAYS in there talking about all your faves for reality. Plus, if you are a Big Brother watcher, it is DEFINITELY the place to be! Make your way over there today and join us!

Happy Friday, my fellow Idol Worshippers. First off, I have to thank my partner in crime for covering for me last night with Idol’s Night at the Movies. I know you all secretly appreciated the trip through J.Lo’s movie career ALMOST as much Steven Tyler appreciated Haley’s stained glass dress on performance night. Before we get to tonight’s filler episode (some appreciated, some not so much), I would like to make a quick comment about Wednesday night. Dear Idol Judges and Producers, not everyone on this show is worthy of praise. Not everyone on this show can headline a concert. Not everyone on this show is flawless with mad talent. In fact, no one is. Each and everyone of the now 7 remaining contestants require some sort of advice. Each require some sort of critical input thrown their way much like the way Haley insists on flailing her arms when she sings or much like the way Randy Jackson name drops his musician friends. Please stop being all friendly and peachy with our finalists and start judging the competition. It’s not a 5 month long family concert. We want a winner, preferably a talented, gutsy one. So get criticizing. Thank you. Sincerely, your loyal Idol followers.

Ok, now that I have that off my chest, let’s move on to tonight. First of all, Mr. Seacrest, the results shows are not “short,” as you might imply. In fact, they are too long, especially after we were promised half hour results shows in the off season by Papa Nigel. You might have actually had more time to talk to the original Idol queen had you not subjected us to a) “Behind the Scenes” of the new The Walking Dead spoof ad, b) the actual The Walking Dead spoof ad, and c) a pointless interaction with Mr. Fat Jewish Guy himself (his words, not mine). So don’t act like the show is suffering because of time constraints. Alright, before I turn into the very machine I’m fighting, let’s get right to it … Dim the lights and let’s take a look at tonight’s performances.

Scotty McCreery & Lauren Alaina, Lady Antebellum’s “American Honey” | I can’t pinpoint what it was about Scotty’s voice that just didn’t fit. It can’t be the country twang, right? Lady A is country music (albeit not Josh Turner-esque). Maybe it was the monotone, one note trick that Scotty insisted on maintaining throughout the performance. Yup, I think that’s it. His one note did not compliment what could possibly be Lauren Alaina’s strongest performance to date. Needless to say, I think Lauren climbed up the stage stairs more tonight than she did singing Miley on Wednesday, but that’s neither here nor there. I’ll try and leave a recap with more Lauren compliments than not. Now, if we could just get past the “Chosen One” status and we’ll be good.

Casey Abrams & Haley Reinhart (aka The Lovebirds) Charles Mingus’ “Moanin’” | Where do I begin? I will give Idol producers (and the duo) props on one thing … great song choice. And by great song choice, I mean no better way to describe the performance and performers than with a song by the name of “Moanin’.” While the two lovebirds brought out the jazzy feel of the song, they also brought along their own moans, groans, grunts, arm flails and creepy camera expressions in the process. If I didn’t know any better, Casey Abrams might be heading back to the hospital tonight after singing like he might be passing a kidney stone. Get well soon (especially those of us subjected to this performance tonight). Not long after the groaning, Ryan informed Haley that she’d be in the night’s bottom 3, to which I’m sure she grunted under her breath in disgust.

Quick question: Does Rob Reiner really watch Idol? Ya, I think not. I wonder how much he got paid to refer to our season’s finalists as the best talent ever. Not sure where we’ve heard that before. Oh, right. Every night.

Jason Aldean & Kelly Clarkson, “Don’t You Wanna Stay” | I’m sorry, but how did this performance by the original Idol queen and her country superstar not garner a standing O but the grunting lovetwins received one? This song was made for Kelly Clarkson and she knocked it out of the park, just as she has in any other live performance she’s managed with Mr. Aldean. It was refreshing to see fine Idol talent hit the stage again after the mess this season has become. Next week, can we get Carrie Underwood or David Cook please? THEN we might be even, Nigel. Maybe.

Jacob Lusk, James Durbin, Paul McDonald, & Stefano Langone, Simon & Garfunkel’s “Sound of Silence” and “Mrs. Robinson” | This little foursome was put together to let Paul and Stefano shine. It’s a shame those two were sent to the Bottom 3 after that performance. It’s also a shame James and Jacob were stuck as duet partners at the start of the performance. The rock/gospel infusion wasn’t welcomed much by my television. That said, this performance was probably the best of the Idol finalists tonight, considering a clear melody was sung and there was no grunting involved. Zero.

Rihanna, “California King Bed” | Well, there was no Jennifer Nettles this time a la the ACM Awards. But, we did get dancing with bed sheets! Really though, I don’t think I remember the Idol stage being that decorated in a long time. I almost thought the cameraman (or woman) couldn’t find Rihanna at the beginning of the performance. Thanks for the slight dizzy spell, buddy. While Rihanna’s vocals weren’t up to par on a show dedicated to live singing, it was a cut above the rest, considering we were subjected to TWO will.i.am “pitchy” performances on that very stage this season. Rihanna’s fresh song was welcomed and much appreciated. And just before you thought she was there just for fun … think again! Tour promoting time. Like you didn’t see that coming.

And, my fellow readers, after all was said and done, the Idol Nation lost it’s first XY contestant tonight. After Haley was thrown back to the couches (likely in sympathy by America), the fate of Paul and Stefano’s movie night performances came down to the little pre-teen female fingers texting away past their Wednesday night bedtime … sending Paul McDonald home and giving Stefano that “one more” chance. What’d you think of tonight’s results? How about the performances that graced the stage? Is your favorite still in it to win it? Let us know and join our forum discussion each and every week as we live blog during the show!

If last week’s ouster heard round the world packed a Crying Game-like surprise (rent it immediately if this reference escapes you), then this week’s Idol installment channeled all the sweetness of Fräulein Maria.  It seemed Randy, Jennifer and Steven were so scarred by Pia’s premature departure that (nearly) every contestant got a Hall Pass. If you couldn’t tell by these mildly desperate cinema references, the final eight brought us an eclectic array of movie themes tonight.  Also, if you couldn’t tell from yet another Sound of Music reference, your regular correspondent is once again MIA.  Save your tears for Pia, however, as this only gives us the freedom to be far more judgmental than is usually permitted!  In keeping with the movie theme, why not rank tonight’s performances using the films of Idol’s own Most Beautiful Woman in the World?

Gigli

It doesn’t get worse than Gigli and, sorry, judges, but it didn’t get worse than Casey tonight.  What WAS that, other than creepy?  “Nature Boy” from “Moulin Rouge” was a courageous choice, given that his alternative was Phil Collins.  That’s where my praise ends, which is probably fine with Casey, since the judges gave him an inexplicable standing ovation.  The odd grunts, the throat clearing, the serial killer glances, the inability to actually sing the song rather than speak it…I just didn’t get it.

Jersey Girl

Nor do I get the continuing praise for Lauren Alaina, who clearly doesn’t hail from Jersey, but, work with it. Even if the emotion conveyed was desire (to murder someone and hide their remains in a trunk in the attic) Casey at least made some connection to his song. Lauren, meanwhile, used her lovely voice to bring us the most generic version of “The Climb” this side of a Little Miss Anywhere pageant. To borrow from “30 Rock,” that’s some white people nonsense. Jimmy Iovine may have been right when he said Lauren has a better voice than Miley Cyrus, but Lauren just doesn’t have the heart as a performer to make up for what Miley’s unique, imperfect tone brings to what’s a fairly routine ballad.

The Back Up Plan

Haley better have one, given that she’s the only girl left in the competition who isn’t Lauren Alaina. I’m not really sure why, given the over-praising of serial killers and pageant queens, the judges chose to criticize Haley Reinhart this week rather than last, when her delivery was far less cheetah-like. Sure, “Call Me” is a definite karaoke song and one nearly impossible for anyone but Debbie Harry to really pull off. Still, it was an ambitious selection and Haley made the best of it. I give her a few extra points for enduring the leers of Steven Tyler, who’d have probably had the same appreciative reaction if girlfriend had howled something from the Yoko Ono song book, so long as she was wearing something short and shiny.

The Cell

I don’t know what’s going on with James and since I didn’t know what was going on in The Cell, I figured it was a good match. Dude’s got a killer voice and it was nice that he had the balls to ignore the advice of Jimmy and will.i.am (Why is he still there?) but it would be nice to see him try something other than a hard rock/heavy metal song that can be half-screamed. This year’s Adam Lambert should look back to the original and note that Adam broke from the pack when he stepped out of rock mode and into “Tracks of My Tears” and “Mad World.” PS was that a…side-tail hanging from his pants?

Shall We Dance

What can we really say about Stefano? He’s pretty. He has a lovely voice. He’s pretty. His version of “End of the Road” was, naturally, pretty. Singing a song by a quartet known for intricate harmony as a solo artist is always a dicey endeavor and there were certainly moments when Stefano reached for notes weren’t there. Overall, he did a nice job. We’ll sign your dance card, Stefano, even if Pia Nation has it out for you.

In Living Color

I know it’s not a film, but there’s something undeniably Fly Girl about Jacob Lusk. While he’s generally way over the top, it takes a lot to get up in front of 20 million Americans each week being loud and proud about exactly who you are. Not even Adam Lambert let the pride flag fly until the Idol crown had passed to a more conventional contestant. Kudos to Jacob for bringing it, whatever “it” is, every week. Additional kudos for toning down the sass and delivering a controlled, moving rendition of “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” not a particularly easy song to breathe new life into.

Out of Sight

Jacob’s partner in being yourselfdom, Paul, let his own sequined flower-embroidered flag fly with an out of sight (har, har) performance of “Old Time Rock and Roll.” I’m disappointed he skipped the opportunity to perform for America in his tightie-whities, if only because how many opportunities does one have in life to do such a thing? Still, the performance brought its own quirks, with Paul’s nu-Rod Stewart delivery and flail-y movements.

Selena

Bravo Scotty, for tearing into George Strait’s “Cross My Heart” like you wrote it yourself. There’s just something about his delivery and enthusiasm that makes you forget you’re listening to someone with a limited, albeit thoroughly pleasing vocal range, sing in the same style week after week. Lauren is, technically, a better singer than Scotty, in the way Out of Sight is technically a better movie than Selena. But, Selena is a heck of a lot more fun, and so is Scotty.

So Idol Worshippers, what’d you think of last night’s movie song choices? Who’s your take for the bottom 3 and who will be leaving tonight? Let us know below and in our FORUMS!

Carrie Underwood, who just finished performing along side new American Idol judge Steven Tyler at the Academy of Country Music Awards this week, has put in her two cents about the new panel on AI. Just like many other previous alumni, she adores the new judges, Steven Tyler specifically. “I’ve always liked Steven Tyler the artist,” she told MTV News, “but as a person, he’s really coming across as charming and warm and friendly and encouraging.”

She also said she liked the entire panel as a whole, saying “ am loving the judges. I know Simon was always such a huge part of the show, but if I had just started watching now, I wouldn’t miss it, you know what I mean? I think Steven Tyler and J.Lo are doing such an amazing job. I actually got the chance to talk to Steven Tyler, and I was like, I’m finding out that I like you more than I thought I did.”

Are you with her? Love the new judges, or is something lacking for you? Let us know below!

Who spiked Ryan Seacrest’s pre-show drink with some Red Bull? (No, this is not blatant product placement, but now that it’s been mentioned …) It’s no secret he got a little too excited when Idol got to show off their new and improved technology – broadcast a few seconds in black and white! Well, would you look at that! What a clever way to kick off a show dedicated to the heart of Motown. This, my fellow Idol worshippers, was only the start of Idol’s underachieving production as the night went on. In true Idol fashion, inconsistencies in production value for each performance definitely left quite a bit to be desired. I’m almost pretty sure I saw the background vocalists more often than some of the contestants we’re supposed to be encouraged to vote for. Not that I hated the background vocals, but I’m pretty sure I’m not dialing 1.866.IDOLS.** for them. What else about production was lacking tonight, you ask? Well, let me remind you that the dancing screen of lights behind our contestants not only makes me feel like I’m watching a performance in a lounge on a cruise ship on rough waters but that I’m about to undergo some neurological test designed to induce a seizure state. While I’m complaining about the production events from tonight, who decided it was a good idea to give Ryan leftover food to eat on stage and then proceed to mock the poor woman’s cooking with Chef Ramsay? You tell him, JLo, the woman is sad now!

In the spirit on tonight’s theme (which I’m PRETTY sure once upon a time Papa Nigel told us he would do away with), we’re gonna take a look at the performances in the spirit of Detroit. I thought about tackling tonight’s festivities a la Steven Tyler, but there weren’t 11 girls to make out with in such short notice. If you missed that joke, I’m not apologizing. Pay attention to the show more, next time. Alright, let’s just dive right into the performances. In the spirit of the Motor City, I’m going to categorize our Idol friends as Cadillac grade, Ford or Plymouth. I’m pretty sure you can guess which is of more value.

Cadillac:

I’m almost certain that you cannot have a “best of” category for Idol this season without including the likes of Pia Toscano. It is blasphemy to venture into that realm and neglect to mention her name. Well, now that we mentioned it, let’s move on. No, just kidding. Pia, once again, showed America (and probably herself) that she has what it takes to take this competition away and become the next Lee DeWyze… I mean, American Idol. One who is never lacking in the “connect with the song and show your emotions” department, Pia was sure to prove yet again that she’s not just a pretty girl with a pretty voice. Wait, did she actually prove that? Girlfriend had a breathtaking performance but I’m ready for her to branch out and leave the ballad world for a week or two. And for the record, I’m not pulling a Tyler here and just agreeing with the judges. I said in our forum’s live blog before she even opened her mouth, so don’t hate. Speaking of which, where the heck were you? Ok, shameless plug but it’s only this once. (By the way, check out that link if you want the full set list from tonight.)

Again, the other name I CANNOT leave out of this category is James. Absolutely no denying the fact that James Durbin rocked out tonight to Motown legend Stevie Wonder. The judges said something about a little crazy making some change in this world. I’m not sure I followed you there, Steven, but it’s OK, we’re not sure you follow along much either. James brought back his tail, took dance lessons from a different teacher than Paul, and couldn’t help but remind America how short Ryan Seacrest really is.

Are you all noticing a trend here? It seems like everyone’s falling on the same part of the rating scale week after week. Looks like someone’s gonna need a change right quick … Well, look no further. (Gee, that was quick). I’m taking a leap and we’re putting up Paul McDonald as a winner of the Cadillac tonight. Paul did what nearly 98% of America has been waiting for and took stage with his guitar in toe. Of course, the judges were more concerned with giving praise to the producers for the arrangement than critiquing Paul. I think they realized towards the end of the show, they hadn’t met their quota of talking up the producers as we pretend they’re really an asset to this show. In reality, I personally think the new producer “twist” has taken the level of the performances down quite a few notches. But that’s just me. Well, back to Paul. That performance was a pretty damn good example (especially this season) of taking a song and making it your own, unlike Scotty (sorry bud). Excuse me for a moment while I pull a Randy – Infusing a bit of Rod Stewart in his James Blunt-esque voice, taking the stage like a confident John Mayer and working the crowd like Jason Mraz … Ya, I’m tired of name dropping celebrities and comparing the contestants to established artists, even though the show discourages it. I don’t know how Randy keeps it up.

Alright, let’s move on and take a look at our FORD award nominees. Before you say it, no this section is not brought to you by Ford and no you will not be seeing me in a Ford music video. Sorry. As we continue with the night of backup singers, let’s talk about Jacob. I’m almost certain that performance would have been better if it weren’t for the poorly arranged harmony of the background trio. Again, nothing against their voices, but why were they nearly center stage if Jimmy Iovine and co. couldn’t give them something better to work with. So, if this were up to the judges, we’d be in Cadillac county, but it’s not up to them and I’m not running on stage to give Jacob a hug, nor am I giving him a standing O if we stayed seated for Durbin and Toscano. The end of Jacob’s song left a lot to be desired, namely silence, but JLo got one thing right when she said he made us beg for those notes – some actually on pitch. Ok, I’ll cut him some slack. Jacob showed a lot more restraint this time than in the past and he continued to remind us that he can connect with the music. Jacob needs to continue to use his emotional connection to ask America for votes rather than rely on the Idol gimmick of bringing 16 year old girls (and boys apparently) on stage for free bear hugs. Ruben didn’t even get to do that.

Alright, let’s move on to the Chosen One. Time for a quick gripe (Imagine that!). After a clever taped package from the producers about her newfound independence and newly discovered ability to not take all criticism personal, Lauren decided to tackle a Motown song that requires a big, powerful voice. Ironically, I actually think she does have one but where was it tonight? If she was still sick, I’m sure Ryan would have reminded us. If she were to really tear this song another beauty mark like Steven wants, she needed to amp up her voice a bit more to make it convincing. But, since she won’t listen to me and take my criticism (because it’ll bring her down), I’ll leave it at this. No use in wasting cyberspace, right?

Alright, let’s pair up Haley and Naima to round up this category. Now, I was a bit hesitant to throw Naima in the mix here, only because I’m certain America might be starting to be intimidated by her, believe it or not. However, she’s here because this woman is probably the only contestant on that stage who’s almost ready to headline her own show. Ya, I went there. There’s no denying (evident from her post-performance backstage interview) that girlfriend’s got a passion for music and feeds off the energy performing on stage. Not only that, but she was able to take a Motown song, infuse her personality into it and then go dancing in the street … to an African beat, even! Now I’m not really sure about those bell bottoms. Someone in our forums even thought Tatiana del Toro was hiding in there, but we can skip the fashion questions and ask to be signed up for SYTYCD Naima style lessons! In a similar light, ok not really similar at all, but Haley finally looked like she wanted to be up on that stage today. Picking the perfect song for her bluesy, raspy voice, she did what the judges beg for (and never know it when they see it) and made a song her own. Now, if we could just get her to realize the difference between wanting votes in the Idol poll vs. dressing like she’s heading to a joint with a pole, we’ll be good.

And now, we’ve finally made it to the Plymouth category. We’ve got 4 in here tonight, but the final three I mention will be my predictions for tonight’s bottom three. Speaking of tonight, I won’t be around, but my trusty understudy (or really someone I conned into taking my place for one night) will provide you with his wit from the results show. Don’t fret, I’ll be back next week. So Scotty McCreery. Not really sure what we can make of this here. The boy was given the theme of Motown. No way in country music heaven or hell would he be able to perform like Stevie Wonder in the flesh. Taking Motown and making it country, you gotta give him credit for that. However, he’s obviously not interested in expanding his range a bit here, so how much longer can we expect this to go on? When Broadway week rolls around, is he going to take a theme from West Side Story and add Josh Turner to it? It might not work out so well. For that reason, he sits here today.

As for our bottom 3 tonight, Thia, Stefano and Casey. Poor Thia, she really performed well tonight and broke out of her little turtle shell that I’m sure she found in Pocahontas’s world. But, others just performed better and she may have shed light on her other side a little too late. You can’t break rule #2379 in the Idol handbook. “Don’t perform mediocre ballads and pageant like performances then break out with an up-tempo piece the same week everyone plans on outshining you. You’ll be forgotten.” I’m afraid Thia going 2nd tonight, will earn her a spot in the Bottom 3 tomorrow night.

Stefano, who told you it’d be a good idea to perform such an emotional song if you’ve never heard it before? Even JLo agrees and she is in love with you, sir. Also, opening your eyes to connect with the audience doesn’t mean for 20 seconds. I’m pretty sure they gave you the advice for the full set, but I’m just speculating here. The judges have one thing right. Stefano has the previous two weeks (and likely the younger teenage girl population) to keep him here another week, but he’s gotta work on picking songs that don’t make him close his eyes and songs where he won’t sound as nasally.

Casey Abrams. Huge improvement over last week, if you ask me, but Casey’s quickly becoming the Scatman reincarnate and this isn’t a scat competition, it’s a singing competition. When your scats and over the top bits of your performance start to take charge, it’s time to step back. Hope you’re listening Jacob Lusk. Casey’s got a unique sound and some great showmanship, but I’m afraid his ego is inflating like Seasons 1 and 2 Randy Jackson and getting in the way of delivering a song and not overbearance. That said, he’s definitely unique in music today and will be successful no matter what.

Now, who’s going home? I hate to say it, but I think Thia’s time is up on Idol. She may have been given one too many chances from America and scratching the surface tonight might not have been enough. Alright, be sure to check out the results show with us tonight and we’ll see how well my predictions hold! What did you think of Motown night? Agree with which contestant snagged which car? Let us know!

Here is tonight’s recap of American Idol, including who was eliminated tonight, so stop reading if you are on the West Coast and don’t want to know!

Ryan started the show with a few announcements – Diddy Dirty Money (who performed Coming Home featuring Skylar Grey) and Adam Lambert (who sang an acoustic version of Aftermath) would be taking the stage tonight; a whopping 30,000,000 votes came in this week; and the judges, again this season, will have one save to use until the top 5. Will they be using it tonight?

Only twelve Idols graced the stage for the group number which was a Michael Jackson tribute. Unfortunately, Casey was sick and in the hospital again this time with stomach bleeding which may be caused by stress. (Heal quick Casey!)

We got a tour of this year’s American Idol house. It was ENORMOUS! It seems that the girls have one huge room and the boys have their own huge room. They are also spoiled with a fully stocked refrigerator, a grand piano, a pool table, a pool, and the list goes on and on and on…  I was a little jealous, until I remembered that some of these contestants are teens, and well, I have my own! No need to add any!

As in previous season, the contestants starred in their own Ford Focus commercial and to give them a taste of the Hollywood lifestyle, they were treated to the Little Red Riding Hood movie premiere, none of which seemed that thrilled with the movie. Oh well.

Jacob, Karen and Stefano were called to the center stage first. Jacob felt like he messed up on his performance, but was able to pull it back together. Karen felt like there were some technical difficulties when she was on stage because she couldn’t hear herself, but she promised that she will do better next time. Stefano felt like he was able to show another side of himself and is blessed to be there. Ryan got their hopes up by saying “You’re all safe this evening” Then paused and said, “Except Karen. Karen is in the bottom three.” NOT nice Ryan. In fact, many fans in the forum, on Facebook AND on Twitter wanted to do things to you that, well, things I can’t say here.

Lauren, Ashton, and Haley up next – Lauren felt like the judges criticisms of her Shania Twain song were fair and that she had a bad performance. Since Lauren was getting emotional, Ryan immediately announced that she was safe. Ashton and Haley were both in the bottom three.

Instead of allowing all of the contestants to have a voice at center stage, Ryan said that everyone who wasn’t called to the center of the stage was safe. The group seemed stunned and Ryan had to encourage them to applaud for themselves. It was quite an interesting way to go about it I guess, although you would think everyone would have to have their moment to sweat it out.

We had a couple of mixed review performances tonight. Adam Lambert, subdued and without make-up went acoustic, and Diddy sang with Skylar Grey, who many will remember from her performance on the Grammy’s with Eminem, and of course a spotlight of one of the Yak’s Melodic Mondays! We also got to hear the new “kick off” tune for American Idol this year, “Don’t You Forget About Me” sung by former Idol David Cook.

On to the bottom three, Ryan wasted no time declaring that Karen was safe this week, as was Haley. Ashton had the least amount of votes and needed to sing to try to convince the judges to use the save. Ashton’s final song was the same Diana Ross song that she sang last night, and fans of the show were none too pleased. Many thought it was even worse than last nights performance. The judges decided not to use the save on her and Ashton was the first of the Top 13 to be eliminated from American Idol 2011.

I’m thinking Idol had a TON of filler tonight for their first elimination show, with two performances, the commercial, the musical number, that they rushed the results a bit. Oh well. An elimination show being an hour long was way too long for many anyway.

What did you think? Did Ashton deserve to go? Was your favorite in the bottom three? Let us know below, then come join us in the FORUM where we are discussing all things Idol!