If the judges all really liked these guys the day before, and recognized they took a chance with that difficult song, I think it's totally fair they got through.

If they hadn't gotten through, would the judges have kept anyone else who was cut? And these guys auditioned just about last, so it's not like they took the first spots, forcing the judges to cut someone else.

If anything, perhaps there were so many busts that they wanted a few more for the next round and that's why they gave them another chance.

I picked up on a comment by the judges that stated that this
task wasn't just about working together in a song, but taking chances.

Later, when the boys went to sing, I knew that comment was
deliberate foreshadowing.

The song was extremely heavy on difficult lyrics, and I think it
helped their case by explaining that none of the other groups
chose the song, so they wanted to be unique.

Bingo. That earned them another chance, IMHO. Not that I
believe they deserved one, mind you. But they took those
risks that Randy and Paula seem to love so much.

Personally, I thought theirs was the suckiest performance of the night. But they did harmonize that last note.

They weren't working froma clean slate here. The judges already had formed opinions of the people they'd brought to Hollywood. I think this round is probably to catch some people who may not have stood out to them before...definitely moreso than eliminating people based upon one weak performance. We've seen this time and time again in seasons past (that girl who was playing in the pool with that annoying cocky guy...she was sent through even though she royally sucked - they liked her, so they sent her through). It's definitely fair, IMO. Whenever you are on an audition with hundreds of other people vying for one spot, you do what it takes to stand out. If the other 40 or so groups were singing the same 2 songs, it's a wise move to take a risk and pick the song no one else is singing. It's MUCH easier to look good when you are singing something different. When you sing the same song, you are going to be compared DIRECTLY to everyone else who sang that same song. That's why most people don't like remakes of songs even if the remake is better.

I didn't particularly like the group...but it's certainly 'fair' to move them on for whatever reason they see fit. They obviously liked them enough despite their poor performance. And rewarding them for taking a chance isn't a bad thing. I thought they actually were pretty much spot on with the people who were dismissed and the people they kept with few exceptions (this group being one). I don't think they sent anyone home who should have stayed. I think they put some people through who shouldn't have gone (that gal in Elizabeth Pha's group - the bitchy one with glasses who said something about 'there's the door'...she was awful and should not have moved on), but overall, I think the judges are doing a MUCH better job weeding out the crap than they have in the past. There seems to be so much more talent this year than in years past. I have at least 10 people right now who I could be happy with as the winner in the end (and I have a feeling that a good number of those ten will be in the final group).

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Oh, I think anyone from the best group of the night (Mario,
Anwar, the "good Jefferson twin") would be great at this point.

I can see any of them in the top 12 males.

Or they can be the next boy band...

Mario is my pick to win it all at this point. He's got the 'total package' thing that I think the average American voter likes. He's not my fave, but he's definitely up there! Those three did an awesome job last night!

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<so much more talent this year

I think that's because the age limit was raised. It allows for more singers with more experience and training. Some can even hold a tune this go 'round!

Everyone is entitled to my opinion.

If the show's editing was correct, it seemed to me those three bonehead got PLENTY of time to rehearse - as in ALL DAY. Didn't they start at 7:30 and didn't go on until well past 4:00?

Fair? I wouln't say it was fair, but it's the nature of the beast. They tried something different, and it paid off, so good for them. It remains to be seen if they will make it any further, but they have just as good a chance as anyone else.

Slice and Dice Shop 2004