I’m so down with Lionel Richie’s music. He had me at “Hello” and I dig just about everything he sings. Anyone who admits that he got into music to “get girls” I mean how classic is that? Then he comes on and Simon Cowell tells him he doesn’t like his performances. Norcaldoll was sitting next to me wondering if it was staged. I doubt it, Lionel looked pretty pissed and started to saying something to the effect of “I won’t be back tomorrow night”. That was great television, much better than “Let’s beat the tar out of Iraq” coverage. I’m not done, so push that little “read more” and help a struggling writer out. Clay Aiken has kind of been my guy since I helped get him past the wild card round with my positive vibe. He dresses like an accountant singing Karaoke at the local bar. His hair resembles someone trying to be cool who isn’t, but what can I say the dude can sing. He has lost me on attitude lately, but his “This Moment” rendition was good enough this week. Simon, after ripping him last week, called him “perfect” and “on the money”.

Kimberley Locke is like the little train that could. She has heart and soul, refusing to go down even when she was on the ropes. Her version of “My Heart Will Go On” impressed Norcaldoll, and while I marvel at her hairdo changes (flat this week) it was a good performance vocally. Simon called her “first class”.

Ricky Smith was not good at all. The judges are nuts when they said his “Endless Love” was good. The guy dressed like a bank robber with a sense for fashion. Norcaldoll was succinct by saying “He needs to be gone. Period.” I think she’s right. He must be a good guy in person because the judges pamper him when his voice is nothing special.

Kimberly Caldwell sang “Everything I Do” and everything she does sucks. Her dress was horrible, and her singing was too. Simon blamed it on being the “totally wrong song” for her to sing. That’s not it, she just isn’t good at all. Somewhere a crappy restaurant is missing their singer, and I wish they’d claim this girl and take her off my television screen.

Joshua Gracin is America’s boy and returned to his country style with “Amazed”. Sounded great, Simon called it the “right song” and there’s not much more to say. He’s got support big time and is nowhere close to elimination.

Carmen Rasmusen took a chance by singing “Call Me” from Blondie, a big departure from her young and innocent persona. I thought it was pretty good although she needs to dump the camouflage skirt and quit letting Tammy Faye Baker apply her makeup. Simon was harsh on the girl he gave a wild card spot to, calling her “dreadful” because she picked the “wrong song”. I disagree, I thought others were worse.

Lashundra, err Trenyce, came out with “Power of Love” and was fairly good. She smiled incessantly, hoping that everyone would forget about her mug shot. Her outfit and hair are still awful, and Simon likened her performance to “cabaret” but she was one of the better on the night I thought. Come to think of it, she might have been smiling knowing that she stole Julia DeMato’s spot because no question she got the fewest votes last week and should have been canned if the producers had guts.

Ruben Studdard finally heard me and dropped the 205 shirts. Thank God, although he looked like a Chicago gangster in his outfit. The bloke can sing, even though he sounds the same regardless of the song he sings. Simon called him “perfect” and he certainly was in the top half on the week.

I’ll rate Kimberly Caldwell as the worst on this night, with Ricky Smith almost as bad. The others I thought were all decent if not spectacular, and I’m struggling to rate them 1-6. All in all I have to expect that Kimberly Caldwell is in the bottom 3 along with (pick 2) Ricky Smith, Trenyce and Carmen Rasmusen. For the record, I say Carmen is bottom 3 and first excused, Kimberly is next excused and Trenyce is sent packing. Even a solid performance and a smile won’t draw enough support for her. Clay Aiken, Joshua Gracin and Ruben Studdard are clearly your leaders and I feel like Kimberley Locke is gaining momentum. I’m done for now. Hope I’ve offended someone enough to draw another comment.