http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whtQZJ7R3EU

I’d like to hear Lambert sing something without the falsetto or the screeching just to see if he can belt one out.

Like my daughter said (and I agreed, wholeheartedly) “When I first saw him I thought, HOT!!! Then, when he went in to sing at the audition, I realized he was gay, then he opened his mouth to sing and I thought who cares if he’s gay, Dude can SING!”

If her and my reaction are any indication, the pics won’t hurt him at all.

Was it Radley who was wondering who he might sound like? I’m thinking Freddie Mercury. And I do like him and the way he did that song last night. In fact I’ve liked him from the beginning, his resemblence to young Elvis doesn’t hurt. I think he and Allison, who is also my favorite (it’s a tie, k?), will be the top two, but which one will take the “crown” I’m not yet ready to predict. It really won’t matter, most of the contestants this year will end up with recording contracts, regardless how long they remain with the show.

Megan and Anoop go home tonight. Just because I don’t know who is voting for them. Votes, not talent, win.

http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2007/12_01/KeiraKnightley_801x1000.jpg

Aside from Paula Abdul, the producers of “American Idol” have one more loudmouth to deal with on the set.

One of the hit show’s staffers is running around telling anyone who’ll listen that the team of producers and judges has already picked the final four contestants — despite the fact that 11 kids are still battling to be the latest pop star.

The female “AI” worker told a “group of people that the last four are going to be Danny Gokey, Lil Rounds, Adam Lambert and Alexis Grace,” said our insider. Asked if this was opinion or actual fact, the staffer vehemently retorted, “Those ARE the people,” saying it wasn’t mere speculation.

If it was just her prediction, she’d be spot-on with this week’s TV Guide, which also chose those exact four wanna-be crooners as its picks for stardom.

But the lass took it a step further, claiming that higher-ups at the hit Fox show were taking an issue with two of the top contenders.

“Adam Lambert and Lil Rounds are better singers and musicians than Gokey and Grace, but they’re too much like past winners and ‘A’ successes,” the woman said. “Adam’s too close in style and sound to Chris Daughtry, while Lil Rounds is a dead ringer for Fantasia. Even their background stories are similar!

“The producers really want it to be Danny or Alexis. They think they’re very commercially viable, have a good image and a great story.”

Gokey’s sorrowful story of the death of his wife, Sophia, during heart surgery a month before his audition is “a huge reason viewers are tuning in,” said the staffer. “Fox likes the attention that he’s getting, and they’ve taken to giving Danny much more airtime as a result.”

While Fox’s reps had no comment on the allegations, another TV insider told us, “It’d
be very hard to manipulate the entire final four. Sure, the judges get one vote to save someone, but that’s before the top five, so theoretically, it’s just delaying the inevitable.

“There’d have to be so many people lying for them to pull something like this off — so I doubt it’s true.”

This makes no sense. Am I missing something?

So would I. That’s not saying much.

Michael goes home this week. Overall I thought it was a great week though.

If there is ever an Emo version of Rent, then Lambert would be a perfect fit. He looks like Simon Le Bon, sounds like Steve Perry, but acts like the president of your high school drama club. Hmmm.

Anoop was the big surprise. Country boy was my biggest disappointment. How can a Texan sound so bad? I guess it could have been worse: he could have picked “Friends in Low PLaces”.

Danny has been my fave, but I like Elvis Costello a lot, and he’s a dead ringer for an early Costello.

My guess that Megan “I was born 100 years too late” Joy and Oil rig Texan are gone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whtQZJ7R3EU

Bottom three: blind guy, roughneck, Rounds. Any of those could be going home. If it’s Rounds, they may save her, but I doubt it.

Idol gossip question: How, if at all, will the recently leaked pics of Lambert in drag, french-kissing dudes affect the competition?

Adam “Gay Elvis” Lambert finished better than he started. Kudos for taking a chance, but it was “good” at best. Making goo-goo eyes into the camera is a quick way of telling everyone “I am lame.”

Something about Megan Joy really caught my attention last night. In fact, it seems like two things really stood out.

Alexis Grace remains my favorite as she seems to have the most talent as an artist.

Danny McDeadwife has a really nice sounding voice…and his performance last night was utterly average. Did I mention his wife died?

Blind Guy: If he has 20/20, he’d not have made it this far.

Piano Bar Guy sounds like any of 100 piano bar guys…which puts him near the top for American Idol contestants.

Anoop Dog: I think that’s as good as Anoop can do and it was pretty darn good.

Oil Rig Sarver: Likable-guy-gets-by-on-average-performances-until-finally-booted-in-favor-of-anyone-with-talent. Did I mention he works on an oil rig?

Allison and Lil have the top 2 raw talent, but really need some coaching. Both did enough to stick around.

Can I mention that Lil Rounds is probably the most appropriately named person ever.

I understand he’s got a style, but they don’t pick the theme for the week just for shits and giggles. I, for one, would like to see the guy sing something outside his comfort zone and demonstrate that he’s a musician and not just a sideshow/opening act. There are a multitude of country songs where he could have showcased his high voice (let’s face it, he’s no bass). Not all country music requires Johnny Cash’s deep voice.

I don’t like this practice of using any possible arrangement of a song that has, at one point or another, been recorded in the style of the week’s theme.

And though Megan Joy is very pretty and has a nice voice, her sing-every-song-in-the-style-of-1940s-radio schtick is already tiresome. I’m ready for her to go.

Other than those two, I think it’s a pretty strong group this year and last night’s show was entertaining.

Kinda like Clay Aiken did on the show, and then run straight to Broadway where he belongs.

Gokey is right at the tops for me, but I’ll admit I really like Megan’s voice and style. I think if she can find a couple 30′s blues genre songs she’ll do much better. I must admit she moves kinda funky, ungainly, like she has not grown into her feet yet.