Dish Of Salt: Thursday TV Dish (Top 8 ‘Idol’ Guys Perform)

It was a night of mostly unmemorable performances as the top eight guys took the stage on “American Idol” last night. The whole show seemed to lack any spark with the exception of one contestant who brought the house down. So who will stay and who will go? I break down boys night.

First up was Lee Dewyze with a rendition of “Fireflies” by Owl City. Who? Who? OK, lame joke. I know. Although Kara told him, “You look confident tonight” to me he still seems very uncomfortable with the cameras and that he doesn’t really know where to look. It’s distracting as a viewer. Lee was not as good as he had been the last two weeks but I think he will still earn a spot in the Top 12.

Next up was follicly challenged contestant Alex Lambert. I realized when he started singing that he and Ellen DeGeneres have a similar hair cut and this must be why she likes him so much. Alex sang “Trouble” by the awesome Ray LaMontagne. The trouble is that he too is still uncomfortable with the cameras. He’ll be saved by the tweens who dig his cuteness factor though. Kara did make one good point tonight when she told him, “You get better and better and better. The only thing standing in the way of you winning, is you right now.” Although later on I want to throw something at Kara (and so did Simon, clearly), but more on that later.

Back in season seven when he was in the top 24, dreadlocked shy guy Jason Castro did an incredible version of “Hallelujah” which easily landed him in the top 12. Tim Urban’s version of the same song was decent last night and certainly the best he has been on the show. Somehow, the guy who wasn’t even supposed to make the Top 24, and had no airtime up until the live shows, could be a contender here. And like I said the last two weeks, with that surfer dude hair and adorable smile he can always get a gig on Disney Channel. I thought the whole moment of Ellen running up to give him a hug seemed so contrived. It’s bad enough when Carrie Ann Inaba does it on “Dancing with the Stars,” Ellen did not need to lower herself to that.

Poor Andrew Garcia. He started out so promising and he has just gone downhill from there. Simon said it best when he called his performance of “Genie in A Bottle” by Christina Aguilera “desperate.” I thought the same thing when he was sitting in the red room talking to Ryan Seacrest. He had desperation in his eyes. Let’s hope his early fans stick with him when it comes to voting- otherwise even a genie won’t be able to grant him his wish to be in the top 12.

Casey James you are cute but you are no Keith Urban.

It’s during Kara’s critique of Aaron Kelly, after he sang Lonestar’s “I’m Already There,” that I want to throw something at her. I get that you are a songwriter Kara, but I guarantee you not one person listening to Aaron sing was thinking that a 16-year-old should not sing a song about a man missing his kids. No one was paying attention to the lyrics, especially after he mangled the first few verses which were clearly way to low for him. However, Kara tells him about the song, “It’s in the third person and it’s about a man calling home to talk to his kids on the phone. How can you feel a connection to it?”

Who cares Kara? I’m all for knowing the meaning behind a song and its lyrics but not on “American Idol.” If I had time I would go back and tell Kara every time someone sang a song that the meaning didn’t relate to them. Bravo to Simon though who gave her the ultimate bitch slap when he said her critique was “rubbish.” Go Simon!

At this point in the show I wanna get this over with and go watch “Modern Family” on ABC.

Todrick Hall have you seen a little show called “Glee” on the same network as “Idol”? They did a version of Queen’s “Somebody To Love” that was awesome. Sure you sounded pretty good but I guarantee many of the people who vote on this show remember the “Glee” version and won’t vote for you, especially after Simon hit him with this comment, “You’re a Broadway singer. That is ‘American Idol: The Musical’ doing Queen. You know the silly gloves and the performing and that’s what you are. I see you more as that than a recording artist.” Todrick actually has been on Broadway in “The Color Purple” and I’m sure they will enjoy having him back soon. Let’s face it the musical theater is a great route for past Idols. At least 16 former contestants have ended up on The Great White Way!

Michael Lynche welcome to the Top 12. See you tomorrow night at the party. Kara quit your crying before I have to slap you.

Predictions to go home – Andrew Garcia, Todrick Hall

I will be at the Top 12 party tonight in Hollywood and will have all the action from the red carpet and inside the party tomorrow!

PS – I’m so annoyed by Kara’s comments to Aaron, I have decided to go back and give some examples of contestants who have sang songs they can’t relate too, just to prove my point:

Kris Allen – “She Works Hard For The Money,” by Donna Summer
Jon Peter Lewis – “Tiny Dancer,” by Tina Turner
Kellie Pickler – “Bohemian Rhapsody,” by Queen