Paula Abdul Tortures The Top 24!!

After weeks of enduring audution after audition (some good....some not so much!), American Idol finally delivered some talent with last night's recap of the Hollywood Hazing Week. It was tough to see certain people get the ax, but more than anything I was anxious for tonight's big reveal of the Top 24. Will the list match the leaked "list" that has been circulating the Internet for weeks? Will these contestants in fact be "the most talented we've seen on American Idol so far", as Simon has been saying? Will Britney Spears finally put her pink-wig-wearing, Osama Lutfi-clinging ways behind her and re-conquer the world?!! (Wait, that last one has nothing to do with American Idol.....)

With all the typical suspense-filled moments of seasons before, tonight's Top 24 reveal didn't stray much from the same formula AI has been using for years. Same elevator ride with hidden camera, same looooong walk across a room to where the judges sit, same anxiety-filled seconds as the contestants sit in The Chair and wait for their fate to be handed to them. (For those of you who have been living under a rock for the last six years and somehow managed to miss all the previous Top 24 Reveal Shows, I'll explain: The Chair is American Idol's version of a torture device -- contestants sit in the middle of the room, a good distance from the judges, bright lights, heart pounding, waiting to find out if they're going home or joining their fellow contestants on the Top 24 stage. Its very overdramatic. Spielberg doesn't even torture audiences with as much would-be tension). I realize Fox has ratings to earn, but most of the hour had me screaming "cut to the chase already!!!" at my TV. And for once, it was Paula who bore the brunt of my yelling.

I can only guess that someone slipped Simon a Vicodin before the show, because he was uncharacteristically quiet (and opinion-less!) during most of the hour. Instead it was Paula who felt the need to torture contestants and audience alike. "How do YOU feel you've done up to this point?", "We dont like to tell people no", etc etc. When did she morph from annoyingly sweet and indecisive to Cruella DeVille?! Tonight, apparently.

I'll admit that, while interesting, there doesn't REALLY need to be an entire hour-long show dedicated to revealing who did and didn't make the Top 24. And yet I still watch. Somewhere, my friends are shaking their heads and mentally yelling at me to get a life. I know, I know...

So without any overdone drama, Paula-torture, or Seacrest interviews, here is the American Idol Top 24 list:

Girls

Carly Smithson
Amanda Overmyer
Kristy Lee Cook
Brooke White
Alexandrea Lushington
Ramiele Malubay
Syesha Mercado
Kady Malloy
Amy Davis
Alaina Whitaker
Asia’h Epperson
Joanne Borgella

Boys

Chikezie Eze
David Cook
David Archuleta
Danny Noriega
Jason Castro
Luke Menard
Michael Johns
Robbie Carrico
Jason Yeager
Garrett Haley
David Hernandez
Colton Berry

So there you have it. American Idol's Season 7 Top 24. And for those of you keeping track, this list does in fact match the list that was leaked a few weeks ago. Someone over at Fox is gonna have some 'splaining to do, Lucy!

And by the way, I do have one bone to pick with Simon, Randy, and Paula: You sent Josiah Leming home, and I really liked him. I feel like this was a personal attack. You obviously knew he was my favorite, and in a large and deep-running conspiracy to frustrate me, you sent him packing. Rather, you sent him back to his car, cus Josiah is homeless. Yep, you said no to the homeless kid. I hope you all have nightmares about that for a really long time. Simon, you said he got a bit too cocky (which you of all people would know a lot about!), but I think you're just mad cus Josiah is a sweet, cute kid who would get lots of love from the ladies if he made it farther in the competition and you want the spotlight all on yourself. Yep. So sad. Grrrrrr.

Next week the Top 24 will try to croon their way into the hearts of America in hopes of winning our vote. I, for one, am stoked. In a sad Josiah-less way, of course. Oh, and Josiah, if you're out there, hit me up. I know this awesome place we could park your car near Venice Beach..... :)

Recent Entries:
· Idol Doesn't Disappoint
· Final Prediction
· Idol Finale Update

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