American Idol: Top 9

Okay, so I am late watching tonight. What sucks is that Bailey suggested we watch together tonight, but I couldn't make it. It would be really fun to live blog this together. Alas, I am stuck doing so alone.

Anoop Desai. Some Usher song. What IS this?! It's just absolutely terrible. Is this even a song? It was just awful, although maybe it's just because the song is terrible? Gobo tells me this is an Usher song, and I don't know it at all, but I hate it. Yuck. And why can't Paula speak without hesitation? Gobo is happy that "the old Simon" is back and he's being "hateful."

Megan Joy. Some Bob Marley Song. I keep waiting to hear the Megan Joy that the judges just adore. But...this is not it. Gobo started laughing about 15 words in, saying "if I saw this in a karaoke bar I would think it was a joke."

Danny Gokey. "What Hurts the Most." Okay, you know I'm not a fan of this guy, although I do believe he is superior to Taylor Hicks. And Michael MacDonald. But that's not saying much. I actually thought this was one of his better performances, but I still ddn't find it at all appealing. Gobo thinks he has a good voice but is a terrible singer who needs lessons.

Allison Iraheta. "Don't Speak." I really like Allison. Gobo is yelling at her to "make it your own," and he's right--this is a pretty faithful version. But she's still better than the people who went before her. It was probably my least favorite performance from her, but at least she doesn't sound bad.

Scott MacIntyre. "I Love You Just the Way You Are." When I was a kid I remember a bitterly divorced couple whose wedding song was "I Love You Just the Way You Are." That pretty much shaped my vision of this song. And the stories that Billy Joel wrote this for his ex-wife--the one he left before he married Christie Brinkley--didn't help. However, as much as I generally don't like Scott and don't think he is a strong or interesting singer, I did think he did a good job with this. It was a good choice for him.

Matt Giraud. "You Found Me." Oh, Matt's singing what I would call a Grey's Anatomy song. Regardless, I liked it from him. I do think he's a good singer, and I could hear him on the radio. I don't get the judges ripping him apart so much. Does Simon really think Scott and Danny were better?

Lil Rounds. "I Surrender." Hm, Lil is wearing an evening-type gown. I guess that means we'll be hearing a serious love ballad. And we are, with I Surrender! I'm worried I sound too much like Randy, but "it started off a little rough, but it came through at the end."

Adam Lambert. "Play that Funky Music." He's pulling the modified Moz look this week. In the beginning I wasn't loving this, but I totally came around. Every week I want to hate Adam, and I just cannot. I don't know if it makes me a teenybopper, but I really think that Adam is great. His rendition was very Freddie Mercury.

Kris Allen. "Ain't No Sunshine." I think that Kris' biggest problem was that I knew this was the top 9, and therefore there had to be someone who was going to come after Adam (since he was just singer 8) and I could not think of who would be singing. He's just not memorable. Having said that, I think this was Kris' best performance thus far.

Bottom two: Megan Joy, Anoop.

Top two: Adam, Matt (despite what the judges said).

Going home. Megan. Please.