In typical FOX cross-promotion fashion, the show was visited by Jim Carrey as Horton from the new FOX movie "Horton Hears a Who." (Which I hear was very good, in spite of Jim Carrey being one of the most annoying actors in all of history.  It would have been MORE than enough to just have him say hello-the nonsense with him sitting over with the kids later in the show and acting like a jerk was total overkill.

Have to say that the group medley was less painful than in previous weeks, although I still would not be willing to pay to see them do it live. (But based on my history, I will more than likely be doing just that when I buy overpriced tickets in the next few months to go see the Idol Tour live) and speaking of going to see the Idol tour...I saw my close personal friend Sanjaya (sporting actual facial hair!!) out in the audience.  I was pretty sure I saw him say "Hi Gretta" I must have really impressed him when I met him at the Allentown Fair last year.

Something else to be thankful for-the return of the god-awful Ford videos featuring the kids this week.  Also happy to see the forced hilarity from the entire group after it was aired.  Why do they act like such a bunch of hillbillies ? "Haw haw,  looky there I'm on the TV!" Must be an Idol requirement or something.  I still dont think there is much going on that is not scripted or pre-arranged. Probably part of the appeal to people like me-gotta watch every second of the show, but dont really want them to make any significant changes to it....why, it's the McDonald's approach to reality TV. Season 2 is the same as Season 7 and it will still be very much the same in Season 23......it fits my need for passive entertainment that wont keep me up worrying at night.

Tonight's featured guests-Katherine McPhee and David Foster.  She's still beautiful, he's very talented.....not a real interesting performance.  I spent most of her performance wondering about her bulimia and whether she still brings up her meals after eating them.  She just got married-don't know to whom, don't care too much.  I really have no idea what she's been up to other than that.

The Q&A session has to be the most stupid idea EVER, even Simon sat there rolling his eyes. It does conjure up lots of potential for me, though-how many second delay is there for the callers-could I blurt out something almost relevant like "Paula, when ARE you going to go into rehab?" before I got cut off for deviating from my canned question "Paula, who does your hair??" I wonder what sort of punishment would be involved-I'd hate to have my TV taken away for the rest of the season or something awful like that.

Happy to see the return to the melodramatic eliminations process this evening, too----the return of the pretty cruel process "YOU ARE IN THE BOTTOM 3" this week (you loser.....) and making them sit and wait it out for most of the hour till Ryan finally ends the pain for 2 of them....

After 29 MILLION VOTES this week....(how much does the Idol Machine make on each call?  Inquiring minds want to know exactly how this behemoth is making so much money... and from what sources???)  If they get even a penny each..........holy COW...I want a cut.

Another surprise this evening when Kristy Lee "Cowgirl" Cook did not get sent home.  I have to say that listening to the repeat performance of 8 Days a Week...it was not her singing as much as a really BAD arrangement and a much worse idea to begin with.   Syesha....I was not surprised-I really think her days are limited.....but eliminating David "Got Singles?" Hernandez (not my nickname-but so hilarious I had to use it) was just WRONG.  I liked him and I think this is really unfair when Amanda skated through to commit another week of Beetlejuice/Cruella atriocities.

HMMPH