<p>Have the judges been told not to criticize at all this season? I haven’t heard a negative word since the beginning of the season. I’m getting really bored with these judges. Why are they even on the show if they aren’t going to constructively criticize these contestants?</p>
<p>^OnHerWay, The judges are INCAPABLE of ANY criticism each and every week. Steven started stuttering when he was trying to say something that was remotely resembling criticism after Haley’s performance and JLo only wanted to say nice things so another girl wouldn’t go home this week! Haley’s gone after tonight. Hopefully, all of Pia’s votes go to Lauren and not Haley.</p>
<p>Paul stunk tonight and his outfit was a joke. He does his best work behind his guitar.</p>
<p>Lauren was good but didn’t wow me.</p>
<p>Stefano sounded good but the B/U singers drowned him out a bit. His confidence is still shaky (can you blame him?).</p>
<p>Scotty- B/U singers were not needed. Another good performance, however.</p>
<p>Casey- Had the best transformation in his appearance of anyone. His beard looked so much better close-cropped. I liked but didn’t love his song choice and I DO like jazz. I don’t think he is going to be in the bottom 3 this week. I think the judges oveblew the greatness of his performance so he would NOT be the lowest vote-getter again.</p>
<p>Haley- I’ve seen better performances on a 3-night cruise to Ensenada. She has an interesting voice at times but just can not perform worth a lick, imo.</p>
<p>Jacob- Really nice performance. This kid is starting to grow on me. One of the best performances tonight.</p>
<p>James- This guy is the real deal. I thought he and Jacob had the best performances of the night. I never thought I’d ever hear anyone as good as Robert Plant, ever again!</p>
<p>I see Casey, Scotty, Jacob, and James as the 4 finalists but I personally don’t see Casey winning it. Lauren could sneak in, if Casey or Jacob falters with the voters. The judges are basically out of deciding who wins it since they give everyone the same praises every week. You can now vote on americanidol.com!</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Oh if only this could have happened before. She’d still be in the competition.</p>
<p>I second what jshain said! Casey is my man, Jacob was awesome, and I even liked James last night. </p>
<p>I wish the judges would critique more of the time, but last time Jennifer did w/ Pia, Pia ended up going home. Jennifer was right, but Pia didn’t need to go home quite yet.</p>
<p>Do you really think that what the judges say counts for so much? They praised Casey to the sky before he was eliminated, then saved by them.</p>
<p>And I’m wondering whether the praise of Scotty is a bit patronizing. He has a great voice but I don’t find his performances very convincing, no doubt because he’s so young. Do those judges really understand country?</p>
<p>“Do you really think that what the judges say counts for so much?” </p>
<p>With THESE judges, no, with Simon Cowell and the OLD Randy Jackson, yes.</p>
<p>Also, I’m really starting to miss any of the final 8 accompanying their vocals with an INSTRUMENT. When it was the final 13, I told myself they will do so when it gets to the final 10 and now it’s the final 8 and the ONLY one who played an instrument last night was Casey. Does no one play the PIANO this year???</p>
<p>This time I’m glad I read the thread last night before watching (delayed via my beloved DVR): enabled me to fast forward right through Haley’s performance (thanks jshain) - started out poorly, I never really liked her, and jshain’s comment sealed the deal.</p>
<p>I’ve always been a Jacob fan but didn’t love last night’s performance. Go figure. Liked what Casey did. I think maybe Scotty will be the winner - not my genre, but he is really good in it and I’m guessing there’s a huge fan base.</p>
<p>James - well, he’s my current fave. But - oh dear - I do NOT live heavy metal. Will he be heavy metal here on out? Might work for him, but will be disappointing for me.</p>
<p>Heavy metal is not my cup of tea, but James seems to be able to pull anything off. He is just so darn entertaining up on stage, even if I don’t always like his song choices. I’m sure Scotty has a huge following and I’m sure he is good at what he does ( definitely not my style) but I think in the end his music style is too narrow for a win- there are a lot of people who just don’t like country. I liked Casey last night but am not sure it will appeal to enough viewers. I just am not a big fan of Jacob-no doubt his voice is great but he is a little too gospel and ballady for me and again I think his narrow range of style will doom him. Stephano is just plain boring to me; Lauren was too- The Climb just emphasized how young she is and it was dull; Haley just didn’t get the grit factor that should go with that song. I used to like Paul- he is quirky and definitely a stage performer, but he is getting old and I didn’t think it was a great song for him. I predict James to be a winner.</p>
<p>Oh yeah- and I agree the judges are just not measuring up. C’mon guys, be a little more critical. They are so bland and so worried about offending someone. Randy occasionally will say something very slightly negative, but it is rare. They are all way too nice; this is not a community talent show where judges are just there to encourage!</p>
<p>Anyone else think Scotty may have changed his song from Everybody’s Talkin’ by Harry Nilsson when he found out what Midnight Cowboy was about? He probably would have done a great job on that song…but movie it’s in might not have appealed to his target audience…</p>
<p>It’s not so much that the judges aren’t giving the audience (or the performers, for that matter) any guidance, it’s that they aren’t providing any entertainment value. However you felt about Simon, there was always that moment of suspense when you waited to hear whether he was going to offer praise or devastation. The endlessly fulsome comments provided by the current judges, and the fact they they are nearly always in total agreement about everyone’s awesomeness, make for a very boring show. I even find myself missing the dopey banter between Ryan and Simon. I used to move heaven and earth to be home for the show; now I’m happy to quickly catch the performances on Youtube the next day. The rest is just too tedious.</p>
<p>I too am getting tired of the comments from the judges - totally useless.</p>
<p>Paul - though I like his voice last night didn’t work for me the oufit/song choice didn’t mesh</p>
<p>Jacob - I don’t like his singing - not my style, had to fast forward through. He seemed rather contrite after being in the bottom 3 and having Jimmy say something about it.</p>
<p>Lauren - sang well but missing the spark/confidence she used to have</p>
<p>Stefano - I thought it was a good choice and actually liked him - but the clothes…couldn’t he dress up a little for TV?</p>
<p>Haley - I do like her voice but didn’t do much for me last night</p>
<p>Casey - I still like that he is different. I like that he went with what he thought was his strengths and pulled it off.</p>
<p>Scotty - I actually preferred the first song choice. The one he did sing was boring and didn’t really showcase him at all.</p>
<p>James - He is still my favorite. Though I’m not a metalhead, he knows who he is and I appreciate the whole package singing combined with entertainment value.</p>
<p>JLo - hated the outfit! Looked like a big wad of cotton candy got stuck to her dress right before she went out!</p>
<p>JLo - hated the outfit! Looked like a big wad of cotton candy got stuck to her dress right before she went out! </p>
<p>But when you are the “World’s Most Beautiful Woman” (according to People Magazine), you can pull ANYTHING off, right??? (Male perspective: I think she is sexy, but the most beautiful woman… please.)</p>
<p>Maybe we can vote off the judges one at a time instead of the contestants!!</p>
<p>@michone - I can see the next reality show…“Survior Hollywood: A.I. Judges Island” LOL!</p>
<p>I get the feeling that this season without Simon they have to some kind of promotion every show for something (i.e. People, celebrities in the audience, etc.)</p>
<p>I found myself thinking that I wish they’d invite Simon back as a guest judge even for just one night! </p>
<p>Didn’t like Paul. At all. He is just so bizarre onstage and I don’t like his voice.</p>
<p>I liked Lauren last night. I think it was her best performance since her initial audition. She looked cute, it was an appropriate song, and she sang it very well. Miley Cyrus, take note.</p>
<p>Stefano was enjoyable but did he forget to change his clothes before coming onstage? ;)</p>
<p>Scotty was good, and he’s so darn cute. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he won, simply because the young girls seem to love him. I don’t understand why anyone would think that his singing country would be a detriment. Millions of people love country music, and Carrie Underwood who is probably the most successful Idol winner ever, sings country.</p>
<p>I wasn’t as thrilled with Casey’s performance as the judges seemed to be. I certainly didn’t get the triple standing ovation by them. I love that song but, in my opinion, he butchered it and its beauty disappeared entirely with his arrangement. The faces he makes when he sings, with the gritting of teeth and slightly crazy smiles, just didn’t go with the lyrics of that song. At all. </p>
<p>I enjoyed Jacob’s Bridge Over Troubled Water. I think I may have liked it even more than Clay Aiken’s version from years ago, and I think Clay’s was one of the best performances on Idol through the years.</p>
<p>Haley - no. I just don’t get the appeal. I thought it was a very mediocre performance, and it makes me cringe to watch her still amateurish movements onstage. </p>
<p>I have very little knowledge or appreciation for heavy metal but I still like James. His performance last night didn’t do much for me, but I’ve enjoyed him most other weeks and I think he’s very talented.</p>
<p>My bottom three would be Haley, Paul, and either Casey or Stefano.</p>
<p>Scotty’s target audience thinks “Midnight Cowboy” is about a overnight trail ride. </p>
<p>I couldn’t hear Haley once I saw those horridly ridiculous boots with that dress - or skort or whatever it was. Was Heidi Fleiss styling this week?</p>
<p>I thought the judges dissed Haley last night… as much as you can diss-while-praising at the same time. I guess that is as close as we are going to come to finding out that they don’t like someone’s performance. Well, and when they fawn all over the ejectee on Results Night, making it seem that they find the survivor of the bottom two to be incompetent in their eyes.</p>
<p>BTW, I thought Stefano did well last night and I didn’t care what he was wearing. Maybe MommaJ needs to style him. Now that Pia is gone, she’s got some free time… Stefano, call MommaJ!</p>
<p>Jacob and Pauls voices are not pleasing. Stephano has a nice voice, his style just doesnt appeal to me. These are personal preferences. But I totally don’t get Scotty -</p>
<ol>
<li> When they were making groups during hollywood week he showed his true colors personality-wise, and it wasnt becoming
<ol>
<li> I know Josh Turner, and you are no Josh Turner </li>
<li> Is it necessary to yodel every note? </li>
<li>and while I’m on a roll … he kinda looks like Alfred E. Newman</li>
</ol></li>
</ol>
<p>I love country music; nevertheless, top three are Casey, James, and Lauren IMO</p>
<p>^ DontPanic: he sounds EXACTLY like Josh Turner! I’m a country music-listener, and he’s who Scotty reminded me of straight away, before I even knew Scotty was a fan! And what did he do again during Hollywood week?</p>