American Idol Top 10, and the bottom three is for the girls

American Idol, surprisingly, stayed true to their promise that it would be business as usual after Jermaine Jones was disqualified on Tuesday.  Despite the surprise exit, American Idol forged on and brought their numbers down to ten Thursday night.  What was construed as a cryptic statement from Ryan Seacrest in Wednesday night's episode about the person with the least number of votes in danger of going home, turned out to be an innocent reference to the fact that the judges have the option of one save this season.

So there was really no conspiracy afoot, after all. 

And if you happen to be a female contestant during the last five years of Idol, it appears you can't win any.  The last female to win the title of American Idol was Jordin Sparks in 2007.  On Thursday's episode, it seemed as though it may be another year for the boys when the bottom three were announced and not a single boy was among them.

Instead, Shannon Magrane, Elise Testone, and Erika Van Pelt took to the stools of shame.  The judges expressed sincere disappointment in the results, especially the fact that the bottom three included Elise Testone who both the judges and Jimmy Iovine agreed was one of Wednesday's best.

Elise delivering a great performance was all they agreed on Thursday night, when Jimmy decided to make a real live appearance and squash the rumor that he was in reality, a puppet controlled by a backstage ventriloquist. OK, so maybe that wasn't a rumor, but had it been suggested last week.  Before he showed himself at a live show, it would have made a few of you pause . . . admit it.  Besides, just because he was in the audience this week, doesn't necessarily disprove anything.  He was still seated the entire time . . . have you ever seen a ventriloquist's dummy stand up?  Something to think about.

In addition to an appearance by Jimmy, a "filler" performance by Demi Lovado (whose song was far too reminiscent of something Taylor Swift would sing to avoid the fast forward button) and, much to Colton Dixon's delight, a song by Daughtry. There was also a special appearance by none other than Tommy Hilfiger, who has signed on to become the contestants' image consultant beginning next week.

Unfortunately, for one contestant, there would be no Hilfiger makeovers or summer tours.  After sending Elise to safety, Ryan announced that Shannon Magrane and Erika Van Pelt were the bottom two this week.  Though Jimmy stated that Erika was a victim of over singing, it was clear that there were at least two other boys who deserved to be joining Shannon in the bottom two more than Erika:  Heejun Han (though it hurts to say it - especially when he and Phillip Phillips have such a touching bromance blooming) and Deandre Brackensick.

Yet the five boys sat in the safety of their Top 10 seats as Shannon and Erika awaited their fate.  As it turned out, the person who would have benefitted most from a designer consultant, Shannon, was announced as the contestant with the lowest number of votes.  The judges rightfully opted not to save Shannon after a pitchy and strained encore of "One Sweet Day."

So another girl bites the dust.  Keeping with the theme of male domination, did anyone happen to catch the Acuvue contact lens commercial?  The commercial features three young adolescents who are making empowering statements about how their lives will improve (seemingly after they get contact lenses.)  A young male athlete states that one day, kids will want to wear his soccer jersey.  A young male fast food worker insists that someday he'll be the one giving the orders, rather than receiving them.  And then it's the young girl's turn to share her aspirations for her future.

"Someday," she claims as she sits alone in a party dress, indicating toward a cute boy, "he'll be begging me to dance."

That's right girls, the sky is the limit . . . but better to aim a bit lower.  We wouldn't want you to knock yourself out on that glass ceiling.

But stepping down from the soap box, it is time to review last night's predictions. (and trust me, I'd much rather stay on the soapbox than face the music on this front).  We've already established that the theory about no one actually going home was way off base.  Did the bottom three predictions hold up any better this evening?

Not quite.  Of the three foretold:  Deandre, Heejun and Elise, only one (Elise) came to pass.  

It may seem as though all credibility has been lost, but just wait.  When news breaks that Jimmy's father's name is really Geppetto, you'll all come crawling back . . .