Wednesday night – 2-hour show

One thing for certain, Wednesday and Thursday are not going to be sprints, they will be marathons – 2-hour shows each night so they better be entertaining.

Apparently we are going to reduce the field from 61 to 24 and no doubt there will be much angst, many tears and a lot of average or less singers going home.

Here we go (numbers are Idol Chatter rating on a scale of 1-10):

All 61 have journeyed to Vegas by bus and Cirque Du Soleil and the LOVE stage where they will sing Beatles songs. They get 21 hours to rehearse. First part of the first hour they will sing and at the end of the hour we announce some who will stay and others who are going home, i.e. Leavin’ Las Vegas.

At the end of each hour will be the time for you to have your hankies at hand. That, in part, is because there is a “Sing For Your Life” portion before final choices for the Top 24 are made.

By the end of the evening 20 will be headed home.

The group divided up into twos and threes.

Lauren Alaina is crying at her rehearsal. Wa, ha boo, hoo. This vocal coach, Peggy Blu is shall we say bitchy.

Enter Interscope’s Jimmy Iovine and his team of producers. Jimmy worked with Lennon. He tells Lauren’s group that “If I Fell” is the wrong song. He is so right.

This entire lead-in is way too long and over the top… get on with it.

“This is freaking me out because Beatle land is where I live,” says Steven.

Jim Durbin and Stefano Langone – “Get Back” –

6- Jim Durbin’s wallet chain, bandana and head scarves … lose it. Steven says he’s never heard such high voices together. Randy tells Stefano he started off slow but got it together.

Pia Toscano and Karen Rodriquez. “Can’t Buy Me Love” –

8- They were BFFs in a New York City performing arts high school. Interesting.  “I feel like you guys get it,” says Jennifer. “It built so well…then you took off and jumped the fences,” says Steven.

Naima Adedapo, Jacob Lusk, Haley Reinhart – “The Long and Winding Road” –

5- Jimmy tells them not to oversing but they still oversinging. “Very very nice!” says Jennifer. Really good job.” “That was stupendous, so over the top,” says Steven after scratching his head. Randy undoes Jimmy’s advice, “Never hold back,” says Randy.

Then they moved on to rather short snippets and all of the following were very, very good:

Rachel Zevita – “Eleanor Rigby” –

8

Lauren Turner – “Let it Be” –

8

Tim Halperin and Julie Zorrilla – “Something” –

9

Commercial break and then…

Jerome Bell – Lakeisha Lewis – Tatynisa Lewis “I Saw Her Standing There” –

10- This is very, very good and original. Very soulful. Randy wasn’t crazy about Jerome.  Jlo thinks Lakeisha is holding back. Tatanisia lacks vocal control.  Steven, on the other hand, thinks she nailed it.

Kendra Chantelle and Paul McDonald – “Blackbird” –

7- She hit a couple of really bad notes. Good thing Simon’s gone.  Paul has an interesting vibe. Unusual vocal.  Kendra is also very good Very nice. “The power of a soft beautiful tone, it cuts right through,” says Jennifer about Paul.  “This was beautiful, really well done,” says Steven.  “I loved your choices in the harmonies,” says Randy.

“Help”, “Ticket to Ride”, “Help from my Friends”

Steven does some one-hand clapping (what???)

Ashley Sullivan and her boyfriend get MARRIED.

Melinda Ademi and Thia Megia – “Here Comes the Sun” –

6- Love Thia, but it wasn’t her best. “You found a way to keep the phrasing intact.” “It was cute, but it wasn’t as strong as I thought it would be” “Melinda, you were behind on the phrasing,” says Steven.

Ashley Sullivan and Sophia Shorai “We Can Work It Out” –

3- Really, really bad. “It wasn’t your best performance,” says Steven. “None of it quite worked for me,” says Randy. “I didn’t quite get it.”

Lauren Alaina, Denise Jackson and Scotty McCreary – “”Hello Goodbye” –

7- Coulda been a lot worse. Song and dancing were corny. Scotty sounded odd at best. “The song didn’t fit you guys. It was like the Marx brothers put out a fire thing,” says Steven. LOL. Randy called it “Funny.”

“Please Please Me”

Casey Abrams and Chris Medina – “Hard Days Night”. –

5- Steven calls them “Freaks.”

Robbie Rosen, Aaron Sanders, Jordan Dorsey – “Got to Get You Into My Life” –

7- “I was really impressed right there,” says Randy. “Aaron you always surprise me when you come out. Jordan we have high expectations of you,” says Jennifer. “Robbie, you nailed it again,” says Steven.

OK, time for some to make it and for others to go home…

Thia Magia, Scotty McCreary, Jordan Dorsey, Ashton Jones, Robbie Rosen, Lauren Alaina and James Durbin are through to the Top 40.

Molly DeWolf, Carson Higgins, Caleb Hawley, Denise Jackson, Melinda Ademi, Ashley Sullivan are heading home.

Now the Top 40 go back to L.A. where we will lose 16 more to get down to the Final 24. Like starting all over again tonight… see, I told you this was gonna be a marathon. Two words Idol: Too Much!

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The long walk in the spotlights is ridiculous, but…

Here we go.

Naimi Adedapo’s final performance was “Put Your Records On” –

7- She cries as she faces the judges. She’s questioning herself.  “I’m sorry that I have to say that…you’ve made it through,” says Steven.  Naimi told Jennifer that she wanted to be a fly girl when she was little. She’s in.

Hollie Cavenaugh – final performance is  “No One”.

6- Jennifer says she was a standout in Hollywood week. Hollie is very thankful. “Unfortunately, we’re not going to put you through this time.” Jennifer says she was outvoted.  “You’re 17 years old. You could come back and win the whole thing.”  Hollie begins to cry.  “I don’t know if I can do this anymore,” says Steven. She is out. Could she come back and win the whole thing? With a lot of maturity. 

Lakeisha Lewis, Alex Ryan – Out and Out

“You haven’t seen the last of me,”  Lakeisha said.  She might be right… some how.

Clint Jun Gamboa –

His final performance was “Hello”.

6- In Hollywood he was mean to Jacee but he made it through. Too much. Did they really like him that much? I mean the other contestants.

Haley Reinhart –

Her final song was…?

6- This is her second try. She feels like she learned a lot. “We’re really afraid to say that…you’re a yes,” says Steven. – She’s in the Top 24.

Deandre Brackensick –

His final song was accompanied on ukulele –

7- Randy says, “It’s about being great every time you get up there. You came close but not close enough. It’s the end of your journey.” Jennifer thinks he’s got a great chance to be a recording artist.  He’s out and I don’t get it.  

Paul McDonald –

 He wore a crazy outfit for his final song. And he sang an original song.

8- “Is this guy material? It’s anyone unique.”  The judges keep stressing his “quirkiness”  – He’s through with his slightly odd, Rod Stewart type-voice.

Ashthon Jones – Her final song was “I Want to Dance with Somebody” –

7– “You have been one of the most consistent contestants.” Jennifer tells her she made it. – She’s through.  

 Chris Medina – His final song? “I Will Try to Fix You” –

5- Jennifer says he started off strong. But he had some good and bad moments. “It breaks my heart to say this, but you did not make it into the Top 24. He’s out and Jennifer has a meltdown.

Will Jennifer continue with the cuts? We will find out later, of course…

TO BE CONTINUED! Oh, the drama