Keep all discussion of tonight's (yes it's Tuesday, yes it is on against the DWTS finally) Giving Thanks themed show on this thread until the West Coast finishes giving thanks for their mute button.

Programming Note. I will start here, but will be switching over at 9 to DWTS.

I will make subthreads for the remaining performances in no particular order if anyone is planning on staying and watching or wants to discuss it before I catch up on the DVR.

• Intro,Snidget, 09:02 PM, 11-22-11
• Yippee!!,Snidget, 09:03 PM, 11-22-11
  • RE: Yippee!!,Estee, 09:09 PM, 11-22-11
    • RE: Yippee!!,Snidget, 09:14 PM, 11-22-11
• Rachel Crow,Snidget, 09:13 PM, 11-22-11
  • RE: Rachel Crow,Snidget, 09:17 PM, 11-22-11
    • RE: Rachel Crow,Estee, 09:20 PM, 11-22-11
• Scary thoughts of the night.,Estee, 09:22 PM, 11-22-11
  • RE: Scary thoughts of the night.,Snidget, 09:32 PM, 11-22-11
• Marcus Canty,Snidget, 09:26 PM, 11-22-11
  • RE: Marcus Canty,Estee, 09:29 PM, 11-22-11
  • RE: Marcus Canty,Snidget, 09:30 PM, 11-22-11
• Our politics are his fault.,Estee, 09:35 PM, 11-22-11
• Melanie Amaro,Snidget, 09:38 PM, 11-22-11
  • The spirit has moved me.,Estee, 09:41 PM, 11-22-11
  • RE: Melanie Amaro,Snidget, 09:43 PM, 11-22-11
    • RE: Melanie Amaro,Estee, 09:46 PM, 11-22-11
• Chris Rene,Snidget, 09:50 PM, 11-22-11
  • New standard of horrible.,Estee, 09:54 PM, 11-22-11
  • RE: Chris Rene,Snidget, 09:55 PM, 11-22-11
• Lakoda Rain,Snidget, 09:56 PM, 11-22-11
  • RE: Lakoda Rain,Estee, 10:08 PM, 11-22-11
• Drew,Snidget, 09:56 PM, 11-22-11
  • RE: Drew,Estee, 10:46 PM, 11-22-11
• Josh Krajcik,Snidget, 09:57 PM, 11-22-11
  • RE: Josh Krajcik,Estee, 11:09 PM, 11-22-11
• Leroy Bell,Snidget, 09:57 PM, 11-22-11
  • RE: Leroy Bell,Estee, 10:18 PM, 11-22-11
• Astro aka Brian,Snidget, 09:57 PM, 11-22-11
  • RE: Astro aka Brian,Estee, 10:34 PM, 11-22-11

Who they are giving thanks for.

After the drama of last week, the stakes have never been higher. Dedicate the song to someone they want to thank.

Paula says there will be tears.

Time to face the music.

LAST EDITED ON 11-22-11 AT 09:05 PM (EST)

Two acts going home!!!!!!

And the extended judge's ego fluffing session.

Lowest total WILL go home.

The next two lowest will perform to see who goes home.

#ohsnap if you want to talk about tonight's show on twitter.

The first segment was trying to talk me out of watching the rest. Host banter. Panel non-banter. People who don't understand Thanksgiving trying to pretend they celebrate it. And Astro wants to thank his fan for not voting enough times by sending a car through his house.

The nausea normally doesn't get this high before the first note.

I'm thankful I got bored and went and flipped the dry brined turkey over while this was going on and missed most of it.

Thanking Mom and Dad for adopting her.

Inspirational rather than sad. Crack baby, abused, neglected.

I Believe

Lots of white dressed choir back up on stage.

LA. You did it again. I wanted to be a mean guy and you shut me down. I really loved it.

Nicole. You made a believer out of me, and everyone in America. You are such an inspiration for so many people, such a bright light.

Paula. If anyone ever questions there are angels that exist on earth there is you??? Vocals spot on, you are magnificent.

Simon. I said in my VP it is a night to be thankful, not sad. Debating on lowering the age down and you are part of the reason we were right to do it.

Which makes me the only person who found that one to be mostly 'meh'. There wasn't a lot of singing going on: just declarations with background lights. She didn't sink to the depths, but she wasn't the Rachel we've seen in previous weeks either.

What would Fakethis have performed, and who would she have dedicated it to?

And if Paula had a baby, how long would it take the newborn's addictions to break? If she was any higher right now, anyone sitting within thirty feet would be eating their seats.

Simon Cowell, the only man in the whole world that has ever given her a chance.

Because she'd be saving up all the turning on him and calling him an abuser 'til later if she was still on the show.

Giving Thanks to his Mom. Sister says Marcus is a Mommy's Boy.

Starts on some stairs to nowhere.

A Song for Mama

I just found the top of my TV's volume range. It was the point where the words Marcus was trying to sing almost started becoming understandable. How softly do you have to be singing for the power surges in the stage lights to be drowning you out? Admittedly, we're talking about the world's first open air sensory deprivation chamber, but still...

And I find his choice of thanks targets a little sad. (I know I'm the only one.) 'So there's someone I know who realizes I have a natural talent and while I'm at the point where she should have no direct control in my life, I will still hold to her deadline for making it work and after that, if she forbids me to ever pursue it again -- thanks, Mom!'

Oh goes over and sings to her on the edge of the stage.

Only has a few backup singers on stage off on the sides.

Everyone but Simon standing on the pane.

Goes over and gives Mom a Hug.

Nicole. You make all the other sons out there look bad tonight. Giggle. So precious, Mama Canty, Mama Marcus giggle you must be so proud. Living the dream. Thank you for that performance, just sang from your heart.

Paula. Every performance is top notch. God bless your Mom for being here. You did it again.

Simon. Gonna be honest (BOOO) doesn't mean it will be bad. Yoyo ride. Looking up skirts, for the first time I felt a connection with you and the song. What your Mom wants and what you want is this competition to change your life.

LA. I know some great singers, you are as great as any great singer I have work this, including name dropping.

Simon Cowell: training America to boo declared honesty since 2001.

Will Simon get all his people in before the whole of America switches over to DWTS.

Had to really lean on God. Shipped off to Grandparents for much of her childhood in the Virgin Islands.

The World's Greatest

*yawns*

That's as much movement as I was inspired to give.

LA, what am I supposed to say. That was really good. You look great tonight.

Melanie goes off thanking Simon.

LA. THat person that is talking right now, I feel you.

Melanie keeps going on. Man her accent got really thick.

Whole panel standing for her.

Nicole. You are so courageous, can I just give you a hug.

Ye Gawds!

Paula. Sweetheart. I have waited for the vulnerability of who you are to come out. The best advice, is what we just saw is what makes people fall in love with you.

Such an amazing singer, you don't need the amazing choir.

Simon. I think it was appropriate to do that, right to have a choir on, silly critism.

Paula won't shut up.

Simon. Two people are going to go home, don't let Melanie be one of them. Outstanding.

Timekeeper Jones is obviously saving the cutoff for when it's needed most -- Astro's performance.

Bruno Mars and Kelly Clarkson and Final 9 in the Pepsi Choice performance for tomorrow night.

Thanking Tim, the counselor at the rehab. Car wreck got him in rehab, he went from the hospital to rehab.

Gate behind him.

Let It Be

As I was trying to force myself into continuing with attention to this performance, Swaybots appeared in my head.

I'm serious. I was thinking about how this mess would have gone over on Idol (apart from being praised to the floodlights) and that's what showed up. Swaybots. An entire theater full of Swaybots. And once I started picturing them, they wouldn't go away.

I have Swaybots in front of the screen right now.

I may take the rest of the night off.

Rap interlude, Hey Homie?? From the audition?

Nicole. Look how powerful the music is that you write. I believe. To me such a blessing in this competition.

Paula. All grateful to have you. Get back to where we fell in love with you in the first place. Thank Tim and all the sponsors.

Simon. I didn't think the first song worked, and then thank God you went into the second song which reminded people of why we liked you in the first place. You may have helped thousands in the same place and that with courage and with guts you can turn your life around. I hope America keeps you in this competition.

LA. I believe in you.

This may be the single worst song choice of the season. You belong with me is about thanks? Who knew? And when you're singing about wearing T-shirts and sneakers, wearing those dressing is just completely appropriate to the mood, or would be if you hadn't already shattered it. Four miniature sob stories, one poor performance, and zero payoff.

The judges are praising this. Of course they are. The judges have all the objectivity of the network's news division. And they're desperate to keep the last group alive for five more minutes -- but I'm pretty sure we just heard one of the B3 performances and, with a fair vote count, possibly even the automatic elimination.

Spot the flaw in that reasoning.

I'm going to predict a slowed-down, deeply boring ballad. Past performance may not indicate future results, but I feel the Worster title for her is accurate: My Little One-Trick Pony. Cutie mark: a musical note superimposed on a 5 mph sign.

*performance ensues*

5 mph may have been generous.

She has dedicated this to her friend. I hope the friendship can survive it.

*more performance*

I swear she's trying to become the mascot for a sleep disorder center.

And Reid feels she should be performing "age-appropriate" material. Because he can sell that!

How did Kara ever get talked into that much plastic surgery?

Pimp spot, daughter dedication, and has much of the frau vote. He could not be any safer tonight and possibly knows it, letting him perform from a potential position of total relaxation. So let's see what that lets him come up with.

*listens*

Piano, stage smoke, slowdown. So it let him indulge in every cliche' he could reach without fear of being called on any of them. Good performance, but it's one you've seen a thousand times across a hundred singers, not all of whom ultimately made it. This keeps him alive, certainly -- but doesn't advance his position.

Arguably the first singer of the night to sound as if he was genuinely putting his emotions into the performance and making a true connection with the contents of the song. So given the way America's been voting during my lifetime, hello, Bottom Three!

And here comes Reid, trying to discredit the first moment of well-rendered sincerity we've had in the entire show. Because true sincerity can't be packaged, sold, and given a line of overpriced keychains. All you can do is admire it and Reid, as a music industry executive, can't find the profit line in that.

Simon liked it. But these days, Simon likes just about everything.

So. Doesn't follow the rules of the show, openly questions how the producers are treating (and perhaps rigging) the vote, doesn't sing, doesn't respect the panel, doesn't stand any chance of winning at this point, and the whole double-elimination with the auto-dismissal for the lowest total may have been introduced just to send him out. Gee, wonder what he's feeling thanks for.

*scrambled geography lesson follows*

He tries to thank his fans. He tries to apologize to the panel. And America. While not mentioning the Hollywood Reporter story, but no one else does either: what were you expecting after Fakethis? And they praise him and say the industry needs the unpredictable and make it look like all is well. Until tomorrow night.

He's seen enough writing on the wall to potentially read his own upcoming epitaph. I just don't know if he wants to look that closely.