Idol Blather: And then there were three. I was recording the show as usual but decided to switch over and watch it live (since the Snook was cooking and I had the remote). I clicked over just in time to see Holden on his feet, Marcia actually crying, and the whole audience having a Damien-gasm. “WHAT THE HELL?” So we went back to the TiFaux to watch the recorded version. Huh. Opera. I give him full props for the Italian, but weren’t some parts of it in English? The whole thing was just so reminiscent of Callea doing “The Prayer” that I found it hard not to feel manipulated. You can’t argue with a hat-trick of touchdowns though, I guess. As for Jess, I know a lot of people are OVER the whole Mariah/Whitney thing, but as a person who – CONFESSION! – actually owns the Prince of Egypt soundtrack, I thought she rocked that song. Here’s the problem: She’s just too good. She makes it all seem easy, so it doesn’t look like she’s trying as hard as the people straining for the big notes. Dean: Eh. He’s pretty but I’m really over him. That first song? Was ridiculous. (Me: “Is he actually scatting? This is the first South African EVER TO SCAT.”)On to the second song… And I really wasn’t sure what Damien was going to go with. I mean, I couldn’t actually think of another syrupy, soaring “easy listening for the older ladies” ballad (with a falsetto section) THAT HE HASN’T ALREADY DONE. And then he did. Unchained friggin’ Melody. Again, he rocked it. But here’s a question for the ages: Is it actually possible for anyone to sing that song anymore and NOT have it sound like karaoke? I don’t think it is. It’s too clichéd. He turned into the Wedding Singer for me right there. I still think the contest is his to lose, but I’m just finding it a little boring. I brightened when I heard Jess was going to be singing “To Sir With Love,” but I cringed as soon as she admitted she didn’t know what it was about. (“Don’t you remember the Lee Harding/Green Day debacle, Jess? NEVER ADMIT YOU DON’T CARE WHAT THE SONG IS ABOUT.”) Predictably, Holden jumped all over her for it. She gave a lovely performance though. I just wish she didn’t sound so giggly and stupid in her interviews. Dean’s final performance was actually one I enjoyed quite a lot. How could the judges not know that song? I’ll Be was a big Top 40 single at home, I seem to recall. (I also recall it being on the Dawson’s Creek soundtrack. How many embarrassing confessions are we up to know?) I was distracted throughout the song though, by my mistaken belief that he was screwing up the lyrics. I thought it was “I’ll be the greatest MAN of your life”, and he kept singing “FAN” instead. (Turns out he was right. Sorry, Dean.)

So where does that leave us? I predict that the Final is going to be a battle of the boytoys, with Damien representing for the over 25’s and Dean rocking the tween vote. That doesn’t stop me from voting for Jess fifty times in the next 24 hours though…