I watched towards the end last night. I felt sorry for the heavy boy, even sorrier for him because there's probably someone out there who'd like to give him a shot but the AI people have almost certainly got him wrapped up in legal tape. And is that kid with the big red hair for real? "It doesn't matter which one of us got picked, no seriously, because we're all shining stars." That one girl who was being such a little bitch about them ruining her birthday, geesh, she was being absolutely horrible before they even said she wasn't picked. And after she gave the judges both fingers, it sounded really pointed the way Ryan said in the voiceover, "As [so-and-so] pointed out, this is the end of her Idol journey." I didn't see all of the auditions, but based on looks alone when they did the run down at the end, I predict the white guy with the beard will go far, he looks like the typical Idol type.

Where are the AI peeps at SON? Is anyone watching this season at all still?!

I have been watching here and there but not really paying attention to the contestants. I caught a bit of who made the 24 list. The show had a 11.9 rating for the 2 hours last night. That's down and not very good. The show is already near 10 rating and the show hasnt even really started. Simon left at a good time.

I felt sorry for the heavy boy, even sorrier for him because there's probably someone out there who'd like to give him a shot but the AI people have almost certainly got him wrapped up in legal tape.

I'm sorry but I didn't feel bad for him at all!! I was actually glad he was sent home. I mean, he had a good voice and all but I'm like come on, clearly that voice is not going to last long...& I was just having thoughts of him getting sympathy votes throughout the whole season and ending up winning just because people think he's so adorable and has that innocent face..ugh!! Let me stop here.

And is that kid with the big red hair for real? "It doesn't matter which one of us got picked, no seriously, because we're all shining stars."

Ugh. Not a fan of Brett Loewenstern. He was one of those guys where the minute I saw him & heard his voice, I knew he'd make it to the top 24. I just foresee the majority of viewers being in love with him & putting him through to the next round each week...I honestly don't think his voice is all that great, there are MUCH better singers in the bunch and I hope they aren't overlooked...

That one girl who was being such a little bitch about them ruining her birthday, geesh, she was being absolutely horrible before they even said she wasn't picked. And after she gave the judges both fingers, it sounded really pointed the way Ryan said in the voiceover, "As [so-and-so] pointed out, this is the end of her Idol journey."

LOL...she was being a real bitch, but I still felt bad for her a little bit. I wanted to see her go through over that Thia Megia girl. I am SMDH because I do NOT get the praise for her voice at all. I think she sounds absolutely dreadful.

have been watching here and there but not really paying attention to the contestants. I caught a bit of who made the 24 list. The show had a 11.9 rating for the 2 hours last night. That's down and not very good. The show is already near 10 rating and the show hasnt even really started. Simon left at a good time.

It's still watched by 20 million + people a week & blows everyone else under the water which I think is still pretty amazing!! lol

http://www.backstage.com/bso/news-and-features-news/vocal-coach-debra-byrd-looks-back-at-a-decade-1004138576.story

anyone watching this season?

On Thursday night, the American Idol episode that determined the show's 13 finalists drew 25.3 million viewers and a 8.2/24 in adults 18-49, up a whopping 30% from the comparable night last year. After starting off down double digits from last season, the last one with star judge Simon Cowell, the singing competition has been consistently chipping away at last season's ratings advantage, keeping its declines in the single digits and even slightly outperforming the corresponding 2010 episodes on a couple of occasions. "We have to pinch ourselves sometimes, I don't think anybody expected it to go as well as it has," Fox's EVP program planning and research Preston Beckman said. Indeed, the doomsday scenarios about Idol crashing and burning in the ratings without Simon did not materialize. Right now, Idol's current tenth season is about even with Season 9 in total viewers and down moderate 7% in adults 18-49. After taking a dive in the ratings at the end of last season to the levels of its maiden summer cycle in 2002, could the veteran reality series reverse its down trend this year with a first season-to-season ratings bump since its ratings peaked in Season 5? "We feel that from this point forward we are tracking on par with where Idol was last year and maybe we could surprise ourselves and start to grow with the live shows," Beckman said. Why is he so upbeat about the second half of Idol's current season?

http://www.deadline.com/2011/03/reinventing-idol-will-the-reality-veteran-finish-up-in-the-ratings-without-simon/

I haven't watched this season but I think that firing the horrible Kara has to be a reason for a ratings increase.

anyone watching this season?

I am! What do you think of the Top 13?

I love Casey Abrams, Paul Mcdonald, Scotty McCreery, Naima Adepapo, Ashthon Jones, & Lauren Alaina. Naima is my FAVE & I was so happy the judges saved her, I hope she has a good song choice/performance this week and wins viewers over...

I read around and it's a mixed bag regarding Jacob Lusk. LOL. He is very OTT but I kind of like him as well!

People I can't stand/could care less about: Thia Megia, James Durbin, Karen Rodriguez, Pia Toscano, & Haley Reinhart. I don't get the fuss over Thia's voice, to me she sounds dreadful. James reminds me to much of Adam Lambert and sometimes I get the feeling he's trying to emulate him, plus he's super annoying. Karen's just ok, she seems like the weak link of the bunch to me. And Haley...oh gosh just so annoying

I thought the top 24 was trimmed down great, the right people were gotten rid of except the judges didn't save my Kendra Chantelle!! She was AMAZING!! I cannot believe they saved Stefano Langone over her

I think this is a great group overall, one of the best in awhile...

I haven't watched this season but I think that firing the horrible Kara has to be a reason for a ratings increase.

I liked Kara! She was a little annoying but I thought she gave great criticism/advice!

anyone watching this season?

I watched for the first time really last week and this. I like the deep voice on the country kid. Most guys on AI sound like women. I guess he is the one that stands out because he has such a deep voice, but they are all fairly forgettable. There was a heavy set guy with a beard who seemed ok. The african american guy they rave about seems a little too manic for me and to be honest I hate his voice. Which leads to that I am surprised at the lack of diversity this go round. I guess that is why they overruled the audience and wild carded in Diana Ross Jr, but she really wasn't very good despite being pretty and seeming very nice. The blonde yodeler..her yodels sounded sharp and off key to me but I give her points for trying.

The judges seem useless. Is there anyone they have criticism for? Three Paulas does not make a show. I guess the other things I noticed were Jennifer Lopez looks prettier than ever, Steven Tyler is too nice, and Randy is as useless as ever.

AI is a prime example of all publicity is good publicity. Everyone was talking about it this year because we were sure it was gonna bomb big time, but they're really turning it around. Good on them. I think JLO and Steven are okay but rather helpless...they don't really offer any good tips/suggestions. For me for you for me for you for me for you for me, Randy, for me, is as useless, for me for you for me, as ever, like blazin' molten' lava useless.

I haven't really formed opinions on the contestants yet. Jacob makes me depressed...I've seen so many like him. R. Kelly my ass. His personal idol is Pastor Shirley Caesar. I liked Naima's "Summertime" and her DGAF "Umbrella." And uh...Scott's 17? I'm only 20, but I'll comment on him after he makes his birthday, just to be safe.

Oh and James Durbin and Casey Abrams, this is not 2006. Please go away.

Edited March 12, 201114 yr by All My Shadows

Oh and James Durbin and Casey Abrams, this is not 2006. Please go away.

would any of these people have been current in 2006? That has always been the paradox of American Idol: the search for the new while insisting everyone sing like Stevie Wonder circa 1974. One of the guys sings like Rod Stewart from his earlier days. In any case, it seems the American Idol audiences has solidified around the sexually harmless manchild singer who appeals to no demographic except 12 yr old girls. With that in mind my money is on the deep voiced country kid or the guy who sings like Rod Stewart. I don't even remember when the last time a girl won was. Maybe the girl who beat the beatboxer years ago, I forget her name she is that much of a superstar.

Jacob makes me depressed...I've seen so many like him. R. Kelly my ass. His personal idol is Pastor Shirley Caesar.

Bwahaha! "Buh see, I know Gawd."

I actually like the panel this year, I can't say that I "miss" Simon or anything like that. I liked Simon, just can't say that his absence has been some huge hit to the Idol experience. Randy can get on one's nerves with his constant misuse of slang, but I almost always agree with his technical notes and he calls a spade a spade which is needed when JLo coddles and Steven was daydreaming and is just being nice.

Naima won't last. Rod Stewart guy is good but there's some Taylor Hicks affectation there that I don't really like. The latin girl and guy have good voices. I'm not so great with names. I wish there was a chart with all their names and faces at the top of the page that we could X out whenever someone gets voted off.

would any of these people have been current in 2006? That has always been the paradox of American Idol: the search for the new while insisting everyone sing like Stevie Wonder circa 1974. One of the guys sings like Rod Stewart from his earlier days. In any case, it seems the American Idol audiences has solidified around the sexually harmless manchild singer who appeals to no demographic except 12 yr old girls. With that in mind my money is on the deep voiced country kid or the guy who sings like Rod Stewart. I don't even remember when the last time a girl won was. Maybe the girl who beat the beatboxer years ago, I forget her name she is that much of a superstar.

They were Idol current in 2005-2006, I'd say, back when everyone was weirdly amused by the fact that there were "rockers" on Idol like Constantine, Bo Bice, Daughtry, etc. I hate that type of fad, and it was alive and kicking this week with Casey doing Nirvana, which annoyed me. It's the whole "OMG, he's gonna really do Nirvana!!!!!" thing that annoys me the most. Who gives a crap, he sounded like ass.

Yeah, Jordin Sparks was the last girl to win. Her first five singles were all hits, but that was 2008-2009, so she's probably busy with a new album or something. I thought she was a fantastic singer, but her songs sucked, IMO.

Bwahaha! "Buh see, I know Gawd."

I feel so sorry for those guys, I really do. The only reason why I can even make such assumption about Jacob is because I just know him. The old men on the front bench talk sh!t about him when he's not around, and I betcha that! Jermaine Sellers was the same way.

I actually like the panel this year, I can't say that I "miss" Simon or anything like that. I liked Simon, just can't say that his absence has been some huge hit to the Idol experience. Randy can get on one's nerves with his constant misuse of slang, but I almost always agree with his technical notes and he calls a spade a spade which is needed when JLo coddles and Steven was daydreaming and is just being nice.

Naima won't last. Rod Stewart guy is good but there's some Taylor Hicks affectation there that I don't really like. The latin girl and guy have good voices. I'm not so great with names. I wish there was a chart with all their names and faces at the top of the page that we could X out whenever someone gets voted off.

Steven seems to just catch whatever it is about the performance that gets his attention and harps on that for .0002 seconds before shaking the spotlight off to the next judge. If Jacob someone were to sing "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going," Steven's response would be like: "Yeah, man, THAT? THAT was what's happening, man. Good job, with that big ol' voice." And that's it. Utterly useless. If someone performed with a violinist, he'd be like..."I'm lovin' the fiddle, man," and that would be it.

They should have just given the job to Harry Connick Jr. He's kinda creepy, but his face isn't as scary as Steven Tyler's yet.

Edited March 18, 201114 yr by All My Shadows

The only two I like are Paul...the Rod Stewart clone voice..and the guy that sounds like Adam Lambert...everyone else sucks.....