Group Night Idol Highlights

Well, its been quite a day today... Our little man has been fussy, so we don't even start Wednesday's episode until Thursday around 7pm or so... but The Lovely Steph Leann is on the couch, feeding Camp, and we are ready to go...

THIS 

IS

AMERICAN

IDOL GROUP NIGHT

Rather than going note by note, due to lack of time and energy, I'll touch on the highlights...

• Everyone keeps forgetting the words.  We get a montage of people who keeps forgetting the words, including a few people who just make up lines like, "I can't believe... I blew my shot..."
• Some of our favorites get knocked out, including the dude who quit his job to audition.
• The Bettys, who had part of the group go to bed and part who kept working, had a bad audition... the one who stayed made it through, one who went to bed made it through, and the one who came back got cut.  So goes it.
• The Idolites are dropping like flies, as we have no less than three who faint and/or throw up, including one chick who passes out on stage, causing Seacrusty to shout a word that has to be deleted.  The worst part about it was one of the dudes kept singing, you know, just in case, 'til Randy the Dawg shuts him down.
• Symone Black, the fainter from our previous episode, doesn't make it either.
• A standout group early in the show, busting out some "Hold On (i'm coming)", and all four dudes and the chick, Jen Hirsh, sail through.
• We see some entire groups get cut, mostly due to lack of lyric memorization.  Maybe I'm just dreaming, but you ask me to learn any song, I've got 24 hours to do so, and my entire career is on the line, I'm freaking learning that song.  Every last note.  I mean, I'd do the entire 14 minutes of "Rapper's Delight" if I had to.  All seven verses of "Lyin' Eyes".  Or the quick lyrics of Eminem's "Without Me"... I'd get it down.
• The MIT (multi international talent) group, with a black dude, two white dudes and an Asian guy, has been the feature of several segments due to one of the white dudes--the cowboy--taking over and running the show, and the other guys not being happy about it (but not speaking up to Cowboy).  And they all make it through.
• Asian Dude (I forget his name) says on camera, "I'm sorry I talks alot of craps about Richie (cowboy), since you will see it on TV".  Hilarious.
• Elise Testosterone makes it through!  I hope she makes the Semis, because I like the idea of typing "Elise Testosterone" over and over.  Its a better name than Peepee Tuscany!

Now, the group round is over, and 98 are left.  Each will perform a single song, either alone or with the house band, and they wont get their results until the end of the day--this is when they move the Idols into groups, into the waiting rooms, and they go to each room and tell the entire room Yay or Nay.

More highlights

• Dude named Joshua just killin' it with "Jar of Hearts", bringing the soul and the house down.  You want to be in the room with this guy.  J-Lo, Creepy Uncle Stevie and Randy the Dawg gave him a standing O
• We see Colton Dixon, who didn't want to audition again after last year, making it to the solo round, but we are wondering what happened to his sister, who was the one who actually did want to audition, and was overshadowed by her reluctant brother.
• Phillip Phillips?  We need him too.  I'm thinking of just calling him Phil2.  Or P2.  Or maybe Phillip2.  
• Jen Hirsh is doing the only version of "Georgia on My Mind" that I actually could tolerate.  Except for Michael Bolton, natch.
• The Welfare Justin Timberlake, by the name of Creighton Fraker, sings "What a Wonderful World".  Don't want him to make it.  "The Welfare Justin Timberlake" is a lot to type every time I reference The Welfare Justin Timberlake.  Heck, last season's America's Darlin' Lauren Alaina almost killed me. 
• Seacrusty tells us "So far, its been a great start to Solo Day".  Which means we'll now get the bad auditions.
• With thunder crashing in the background and rain pelting outside, its throwing people off apparently.  Like, Reid Grimm, who was going to do acapella, so he didn't practice with the band.  And then Seacrusty tells him that he can't do a capella.  So he has 30 minutes to get a song ready with the band, though he only has the vocal coach to work with, not the band.  Not good times. 
• And in the middle of it, he asks to call his mom... he's headed for a breakdown.
• Shannon Magrane is doing "What a Wonderful World", garnering cheers and yelps from the audience and a good deal of head bobbing from the judges.  
• Back to Reid, he's, in effect, having a breakdown.  And is in tears to his mom, wondering if all of this is even right for him.  You know what?  There are 97 other people who want this, without question.  Go home, you pansy.
• Reid gets onstage, and gets behind the drums.  And will audition while playing such.  He starts singing, and immediately Randy the Dawg looks at J-Lo and says, "We got another Casey there."  She agrees. Creepy Uncle Steven Tyler gives the slight head shake, with a satisfied smile, eyes closed.  Either he loves this, or he's still thinking about Shannon Magrane, who was just on.
• And here comes the clips of those emotional because they know they might have blown it.  
• Sklyar Laine woke up at 4am, ended up at the hospital to get fluids for dehydration, and is back onstage, singing a little twangy country.  Not bad.
• Rachelle Lamb forgets her words, but recoups nicely, while Adam "White Chocolate" Brock ends the day with a tone that makes The Lovely Steph Leann quietly go, "Mmmm..."  I don't even make her do that.  What the...?

Now, the 98 must go into the Holding Room and wait.  Wait to die.  Wait to live.  Wait for an absolution that will never come.  The 98 are split into four groups, into four rooms.  Two rooms will advance. Two will go home.

Where the crap is Baylie Brown?  I'm wondering if she gets cut, thus the reason Idol has forgotten all about her... 

Room 1 contains The Welfare Justin Timberlake.  Room 2 has Phillip2.  Room 3 has Rachelle Lamb.  And in Room 4, Baylie Brown sits.

Looks like Room 1 will get the call... Colton Dixon is in there. That Joshua guy is there, as is White Chocolate... J-Lo, Randy the Dawg and Creepy Uncle Steven come in, and tell them that they are all through.  Jermaine Jones makes it!   Lauren Grey makes it!  The screams erupt, and can be heard down the hall in Room 3. 

Because they now feature Room 3, I'm guessing this room doesn't make it.  And the Idols in that room know it, as some start crying before knowing anything.  And we even have a slight cat-fight between two chicks who aren't getting along to well.  

Room 2 makes it, with Reed Grimm, Shannon Magrane, Jessica Phillips and Phillip2.  They scream in celebration... 

And this means two rooms won't make it.  And now we definitely know which ones.  Room 3 gets the news, including Kid from Kid N Play, Rachelle Lamb and NBA Dancer Brittany Kerr.

Finally, Room 4. Including my dear sweet Baylie Brown, who gets cut.  Again.  Is there no justice in this world?  Here comes the judges, and Randy the Dawg goes on and on about how tough it was... then tells them... THEY MADE IT!  

THREE ROOMS MAKE IT!  Baylie Brown Lives!!!

Which has to suck for Room 3... that's like, 24 people out of 98 that didn't make it!  

So, the remaining contestants head to Las Vegas, for another group night with full band.  And you will read it all here...