LAST EDITED ON 05-04-10 AT 08:01 PM (EST)

oh good more Shrek pimpage.

Guys on the staris with Crystal in a ball gown at the bottom.

And they let Connick do the Idol statement.

thank goodness we are back to them sitting at the start.

Oh, and you didn't vote last week, so vote this week statements.

Mentor Video Package.

... and no, not AI, but this season's state primaries showing up on the lower bar.

Looks like my Fox station doesn't care. No scroll, yet.

Tipton county sheriff totals just up...

Looks like about a three-way tie.

So what happens if they have one? Sudden death shoot-off?

Now there's an AI backup plan in case of tie.

I wish. We have one race that may do something like that. You have to get 40% or there is a run off with the two top vote getters. As the figure someone is bound to beat 40% with only two in the race.

Visible for just a second as she was looking at Randy immediately after his introduction.

Make a capture. You may never see it again.

and the steps of doom.

LAST EDITED ON 05-04-10 AT 08:12 PM (EST)

Lurve Lurve Lurve Harry Connick, Jr.!!!

His music has always moved me, his Broadway performance in Pajama Game (that split jump) melted me....

But his Hurricane Katrina response humbled me. The pics of him carrying that poor old man to safety....so very human.

He's also a pretty decent voice actor when he's in the mood to hit a project. And he makes that hair work. How talented can one man be? You'd figure at the very least, the hair would suffer.

Doing all the arrangements? Now that's going the extra mile as a mentor -- as long as he doesn't subconsciously sabotage the contestant he likes the least.

Plus it freed them from three precious hours of YouTube search-and-steal time. Bonus points!

I was impressed with how much time and effort he put into his role as mentor. He didn't just show up and spend a minimum of time with them. And his computer with musical score sheets was way cool.

And his computer with musical score sheets was way cool.

That was amazing, combining the art of music with the ease of technology.

And with that, HD's hopes for a clean recording die their expected death.

Sinatra's daughters give a monogramed hankie to Simon

"Fly Me To The Moon"

Giving some good technical info to Aaron, how long to hold a note so you don't mess with the harmony.

Helped to have Mr. Connick on stage. Nice performance, but what can you do.

That started off pitchy to me dawg. Did get better as it went along.

Can we get Harry to do the arrangements every week?

Randy. Looking for tonight. who is in it to win it. Sinatra Best Singer. I was most worried about you, you did a good job.

Ellen. I thought the piano was a little pitchy. I was worried for you. I feel you really pulled that off. No country in it.

Kara. I thought it was good, but not as strong as last week. I think you will be here again. I want you to learn a bit more charisma. Sinatra was short and he filled it up.

Simon. I'm more with Kara (still holding the hankie) I adore Frank as he was the king of cool. If he was a lion, you were a mouse. Vocals toward the end were corny. People like you after you perform because you do try hard.

Two numbers for each idol tonight.

Superb arrangement, tailor fit to Aaron's song style and surprisingly pleasant to watch and listen to. Here's a guy I wrote off weeks ago and yet he takes a Sinatra song and runs with the band. Thumbs up.

...I've heard a lot worse. I'm with Simon: the last notes and words went awry, but Aaron had decent control of the song until then. Not a horrible start to the night, except for Kara's idiot insistence that charisma is something that can be learned. It can't. You have it or you don't.

Still looking for a Shinji Ikari joke.

... of Evangelion.

Not with at least two more revamp movies coming out.

'Fly Me To The Moon', with different arrangements and singers, closed out every episode of the original series. Add that to Aaron's vaguely-Shinjish look and it was just a weird moment all around.

I thought Aaron looked substantially older in that 1950's way where 20 year olds had the hosue, the car and the family to go wth it.

Wasn't bad but I'm not a fan

"Blue Skies"

Coke stool of doom interview. Got a call from a friend who wanted him for a Tuesday gig for $50 and a meal. We almost lost him.

All that talk about the lyrics...nah not important at all, it is the vibe.

I would like to thank the wardrobe department for the fit of Casey's outfit.

Out of his usual groove, this came across to me as a faux performance. He's no Sinatra, nor was he original with it. He belongs somewhere else and it shows.

He really doesn't know what to do with himself when there isn't a guitar to play.

The vibrato is making me want to check out the friend's gig.

Great arrangement!

Randy. This was like for me your worst performance dude. Pitchy until the last note. When the orchestra sounds out of tune. Knew this would be a tough one. Didn't work.

Ellen. Bad idea to have the piano on stage. The whole thing is about being smooth, and that was very stiff. Not moving in an easy way.

Kara. It took you a long time to warm up and feel relaxed. At least you held a note, but it sounds like a lamb. Gotta work on your vibrato, out of control.

Simon. Good news. Band was great. Bad news, you weren't fantastic. Came off embarrassed and awkward. Good news is you got a booking for next week. (that was a joke)

he was really good in rehearsal two hours ago.

... "was"

Ye gawds, what did Casey do? Yes, every criticism was legitimate -- but they were all things we've been saying for weeks, and the judges are just now getting around to noticing his many problems? Does he have a Dark Secret on a one-week reveal delay and they're just dumping him before it hits the stands?

And by the way:

Harry: natural joker.
Casey: unnatural storyteller.

Is this the first time any judge ever noticed rampant goat vibrato before?

I know other viewers hear it.

bleat beat!

I'm 98% sure it's the first time they've mentioned it regarding Casey.

Is something going on here? Because it really feels like he just freefell out of favor. We've had judge commentary as manipulation before, but this was extra-blatant. And accurate. Really, really accurate.

Um, Lee and Casey sharing too much fan base and they want Lee?

Although it does seem way more heavy handed that usual.

Sometimes I miss how Nigel was able to manipulate things.

Wow. Not good. the voice, the hair, the clothes. Ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!! I'm out.

Think it's too late to try to imagine Lee as Colin James? It's the only thing that will get me through this.

Cripes! A girl goes away for a couple of weeks and the whole world turns to crap.

Cripes! A girl goes away for a couple of weeks and the whole world turns to crap.

But sorry, honey.

"Summer Wind"

Anthony Hopkins in the house!

Pimps the new cups.

Beautiful, simply beautiful. All around.

Nice job.

Randy. It was a great arrangement. Subdued and sleepy for me.

Ellen. At first you were swallowing every word. I wanted you to loosen up a bit more. If I saw you for the first time that you were that girl. Many sides so impressive.

Kara. Out of your element but I liked it. I liked your phrasing. Swing Rhythm you can hold you own in that department.

Simon. I love this song, don't know if I would have chosen. First have too jazzy, second half a lot better. It is not one of your strongest performances. If you survive next week it is about being in it to win it, not singing for yourself.

Kara adds, but not losing yourself.

Nuh, uh, she's the second to go out of the groove. I didn't get her performance, no connection like sometimes in weeks past. Her performance was worse than playing it safe, though she's more than capable.

'Don't lose yourself! Losing who you are is my job!'

Decent performance, but while I may remember it in three hours, I won't be downloading it. Nothing incredibly noteworthy -- other than the wardrobe department finally figuring out what to do with her.

"The Way You Look Tonight"

Mike on the coke stools. Has a 12 piece band in New York.

Panties? Panties? They were here a minute ago.

I hate when this happens.

LAST EDITED ON 05-04-10 AT 08:52 PM (EST)

Great arrangement and really the only person doin' the Sinatra sound tonight. Yup, yup, yup, thumbs up.

(ed. just to add another 'yup')