I was kind of right, but really I was wrong. The two people that I predicted would do well ended up in the bottom three. And one of them (Alexis) was the loser of the night. This was somewhat heartbreaking, particularly because the judges considered saving her, but decided against it after her last-chance performance. Which is really too bad. I think that overall she’s stronger than Michael Sauber (and a more even performer than Anoop).

What I find truly alarming though, is how I actually felt sad when it was revealed that she would not be saved. This alarm on my part rings of intellectual snobbery, and a falsity of my own intentions. I didn’t start this project to be above it. After all, American Idol is a story, and a pretty long and interactive one at that. If you give it time, it will suck you in.

P.S.: I think Adam’s performance of ‘Ring of Fire’ was dreadful. Randy called it a ‘Nine Inch Nails’ version, but it actually felt more like a histrionic Doors performance. As he squealed: ‘it burns, burns, burns’ I said, ‘yes, yes it does!’ Simon was correct in calling it horrifying.