American Idol: Top 10 Revealed

(S07E23) Everyone had so much fun in the live chat during the Top 11 performance show that we're doing it again! We'll be hosting another live chat during the live 9pm ET broadcast tonight. And we may just do it for the rest of the season, too. Watch the results and sound off about the painful group number as it happens. Critique Kellie Pickler's return to the Idol stage and vent about all the "filler" Ryan subjects us to before voting out ... well who do you think it will be?

You can join the chat by following this link. Look for the full episode review right here later tonight.
Ryan opened the show by telling us who the four celebrity mentors would be this season: Dolly Parton, Mariah Carey, Andrew Lloyd Weber and Neil Diamond. I think these are all solid choices as they each bring something very, very different that the contestants can learn from. Personally, I think a theme week of Andrew Lloyd Weber's work could be absolutely amazing.

Even though I knew we'd be in for another Beatles medley, I was kind of hoping that maybe they'd think, "Well they've already heard one, so let's just skip it this week.". But no suck luck. I will say that Michael and Chikezie did well in "While My Guitar Gently Weeps." But I couldn't hear Ramiele at all when she sang duet with Brooke. And somebody tripped the cameraman when Kristy started singing. Either that or he started laughing because someone in his hear said "That's the one getting voted off." Amanda showed the more musical side of her voice for the first time in this medley, so good for her on that. But most of all, I hate how seriously these things try to make themselves out to be, how horrid the choreography is, and how uncomfortable most of the contestants look doing them.

THE MAKING OF AN IDOL FORD VIDEO - "Should I Stay or Should I Go"
It wasn't enough that they subject us to these corny and borderline horrible "commercials" every week, but somebody had the brilliant idea that the whole experience could only be made better by also showing us the behind the scenes footage. We got DVD extras on a commercial. Bonus that it did showcase contestant personalities a bit. Mr. Cook is a ham.

The commercial itself was a take-off of 1950s B sci-fi movies. Filmed in black and white, they used real flying saucers on strings and everything else. Again it was better than seasons past but it was still an Idol Ford commercial.

ON THE AIR WITH AMERICAN IDOL
This segment is still stupid. But it was nice to see Ryan buck the trend and pick a caller who was out of their 20s, finally. The questions and answers were as riveting and insightful as last week.

For Simon: "Why do you spend so much money on cars and nothing on clothes?" Simon responded by telling her it was a rude question, implying that he looked terrible. His response was because he doesn't have an ego.
For Simon and Paula: "Would you ever consider filming a sequel to the kiss scene? Follow-up: what does Simon think of Paula's career." Simon's answer was that he would consider filming a sequel because Paula is a very good kisser.
For Ramiele: "What was the last song you downloaded on your iPod?" R. Kelly's "I'm a Flirt"
For Michael: "Has your experience on Idol been everything you thought it would be?" It's everything and more. He feels he apparently peaked in Hollywood.

PICK PICKLER
Kellie continues to be proud of her chest, though I noticed that a lot of the old footage they showed kept her chest hidden. Were they trying to downplay the obvious difference in her chest size from her Idol days to now? She refused to admit to the boob job last year on the show. Why she chose to sing one of her older songs, I'm not sure, but she came out in a red dress (no cleavage) and sang her fist ever single, "Red High Heels."

And of course she's wearing red high heels, but is that a tattoo on her foot? I think Kellie is beautiful and has developed into a really good performer and country singer. And her "simple," funny personality always makes her a delightful interview. Performance-wise and vocally, she's well above what she was as a contestant. She's really pushing the country twang more than she did on the show, too.

IDOL GIVES BACK FOLLOW-UP
Elliott Yamin and Fantasia joined up and went back to Africa to show us how the proceeds from last year's "Idol Gives Back" special were spent bringing much needed goods and supplies to the needy children there. And Elliott got a baby named after him, as it is tradition to name babies after visitors. And he became godfather to the baby. We got 8 million nets sent over there to help curb death by malaria. This year's event looks to continue that tradition of giving.

BUILDING THE BOTTOM THREE
The significance of tonight's elimination is that the Top 10 goes on tour across America and number 11 stays home. Ryan started us off with Brooke White, bringing her front and center. Of course she's safe. If nothing else she's still riding the wave of "Let it Be." Next up was Carly Smithson with a surprise, I guess. Carly got put into the Bottom Three. Still, America has a history of responding poorly to contestants who talk back too much to the judges, and Carly completely stomped over Simon's critique. Of course, Brooke talked over everyone, but I guess she was forgiven because she was just affirming to the audience and the judges and us at home that it was okay for the judges to give her negative feedback. After all, they'd usually been so nice to her.

David Archuleta came up next and lo and behold he was into the Top 10 and on the tour. Michael Johns came up and again affirmed that he felt he'd made the right choice with it, and apparently America agreed, because he too was safe.

The new contender for front-runner David Cook refused to comment on Simon's accusation that he looked a little smug last night, but it didn't matter. It was the Top 10 for him. But Kristy Lee Cook wasn't so lucky. She thought last night was her strongest performance, but regardless America put her in the Bottom Three with Carly.

Ryan called Jason Castro "Dreds" and quickly put him into the Top 10. Ramiele Malubay was pulled up next and was so nervous and scared and a little apprehensive that she'd made the wrong choice by avoiding a ballad, but she made it into the Top 10 regardless. She was so genuinely nervous and

Syesha Mercado came down, and after being toward the bottom week after week in popularity, she pulled off an impressive performance and impressed her way right into the Top 10. That left Amanda Overmyer and Chikezie. One would complete the Bottom Three. And it's Amanda Overmyer heading to the Bottom Three, catapulting Chikezie into safety.

GOING HOME
Carly, Kristy and Amanda sweated out the requisite break before Ryan sent Carly back to safety. In the end, Amanda Overmyer's refusal to consider the possibility of doing a ballad may have done her in as she was voted out. So we won't get to see Amanda rock the tour this season, but Kristy will get plenty of opportunities to find different ways to stand on stage when she sings then the horse squat. Amanda should do just fine, though, booking those local clubs she said she'd be willing to fill.

MY PICKS
Again, Kristy escaped elimination. I gave Amanda the "Maybe" but "maybes" don't win paternity suits. Either Kristy's better than I think she is or she's the new Sanjaya. I also missed the bottom three, thinking Ramiele would be there instead of Carly. So it's another 0-1 for me, dropping me to 5-9 on the season.

YOUR PICKS
Your bottom three was actually four. Brooke and Michael tied at third worst, while the second lowest vote-getter was Kristy. As for who you guys thought would get eliminated? You nailed it. You put Amanda at the bottom and lifted your totals to 10-4. I got to get a few thousand or so people to help me vote because right now I'm getting slaughtered!

Who should have gotten voted out?

Brooke White	21 (0.9%)
David Archuleta	36 (1.6%)
Michael Johns	19 (0.8%)
David Cook	13 (0.6%)
Jason Castro	30 (1.3%)
Ramiele Malubay	120 (5.3%)
Syesha Mercado	30 (1.3%)
Chikezie	60 (2.7%)
Carly Smithson	32 (1.4%)
Kristy Lee Cook	1217 (54.1%)
America got it right, Amanda Overmyer	671 (29.8%)