American Idol-Season 10

Two words for the ladies: Thia Megia

American Idol-Season 10

Can I say one thing, if Snow White had 12 dwarfs, they would look like the male contestants on last night's American Idol. What a motley assorted hairy odd balls. Sure some of their singing sounds great if you are not looking at them. What's up with that scrawny red head who kept whipping his hair back and forth, he whips his hair back and forth (taking lessons from Willow Smith). Another guy's mouth is so small, can he stuff a hot dog in it? Another train wreck one can't stop looking at is Steven Tyler. He's is so Odd, capital ODD! He looks like some old English Grand Dame.

Let's hope the girls look better tonight!

Glee Finale

Was not last night's finale of Glee just makes one want to watch it over and over? Last week's episode was just so-so with musical numbers I wasn't really crazy about. Yikes, am I really saying that? But last night's finale was purrrfect! And when they did their tribute to Schuster "To Sir With Love" , I was so there, surrounded in a cloud of nostalgia, seeing Sidney Poitier as teacher Mark Thackery. God I'm so old, I'm like the krypt keeper! (Freaky Friday, the Lilo version). I swear I must have been 5 when I saw To Sir (yeah right!) The final song that Vocal Adrenalin did interspersed with Quinn giving birth was amazing, although I still think they shouldn't have won, since only Jesse St. James sang, so it was a solo and not a group performance. My husband was annoyed with all the cutting shots. Men don't get dramatic effect. But what was touching and brought one tear, just one, was when Sue Sylvester voted for New Dimensions. Still don't get why they lost, wasn't Josh Groban on board with them, saying they had heart? But Sue showed she has some heart, at least for two seconds when she had a total lapse into empathy. Another Sue Sylvester quip: I'm legend it's happened. Yes it has Sue, yes it has!-Single D

On Glee

I recently became hooked on Glee, ok I'm a full on Gleek. Why it so mirrors my own life, where I frequently break out in song and dance around, albeit in the privacy of my own living room, but nonetheless, full on musical numbers. I so want to be Lea (Rachel), what a voice what a talent! She's like (is) the next Barbara Streisand and Jewish too. Why, why, can't I have a talent like that. If there was one thing I would want to do is SING, either that or be Sue Sylvester. She can deliver sarcastic one liners like nobody's business. I love it how she draws you in and then clobbers you over the head, hysterical! The only downfall to her otherwise sparkling rapier wit is her asexual gym attire. Come on, let's give her some JLo sweatpants and hoodies. Her repertoire of witty banter has to be written for preservation. So in this post, a Sue Sylvester classic....

As she says to Schuster, "You'll have to kiss me with tongue" and as he hesitantly goes in for the kill, lips just about to make their mark, she pulls away and says, "No, I don't think so, I smell the stench of mediocrity on your breath" and walks away. Hey, I'm swimming in Glee!-Single D

Hell's Kitchen- The Winner Is.............

The last episode left us with a cliffhanger, not who would win Hell's Kitchen, but who would pick Jen and who would pick Matt, now that's a cliffhanger! Being the astute observer, I did notice that Jen was on Petrozza's and Matt was on Christina's team and I was right. Those two proved to be the wild cards of the episode and managed to steal air time from the others. I don't think Ben, Louross and Corey even uttered a single word on this last episode. Christina has to butter up Matt so that he'll be willingly to work, so she tells him that her inspiration for the risotto was due to him (as she tells the camera, not!). You could see him swell with pride, well, ok he popped with pride. He reminds of me Pumba from the Lion King, just give him some horns! Chef taste each one's menu and tells Christina to sex up her dishes, humm, he doesn't tell Petrozza that? Chef says that Christina's dishes are just plain Jane but could be great (maybe they need a little Victoria Secret). Petrozza's on the other hand has difficult dishes but could be fantastic if he can pull it off. I would love to try that souffle of his for dessert, yum! I like the decor in Christina's dining room, understated and elegant while Petrozza's reminded me of your grammy's dining room. During dinner service, it's the usual drama from Matt who keeps muttering under his breath, shut up! After the show, I'm sure he's headed back to the insane asylum, he's nuts! Jen started out and ended up one bitter person. She's just got the nastiest attitude and shocked Chef when she had the balls to ask him for a letter of recommendation. I think the only thing Chef can recommend is that Jen has a terrible sour atta- turd. Ya, you heard me, sour atta-turd! In the end, Hell's Kitchen didn't disappoint with all the drama and suspense when it came to the unveiling or in this case the opening of the door to reveal the winner of this season's Hell Kitchen.................Christina! She so deserved it and I'm sure Chef is thinking young enough to be molded by the great one!-Single D

Hell's Kitchen-Prequel to the Finale

Well, it's down to the final two. Who would have thought Petrozza would have lasted this long. I thought Ramsay's perception of Petrozza's porkulant behavior in the kitchen would had him ousted long ago. When they see their images larger than life, Christina gushes that she looks angelic. Angelic? Do angels smoke? What's with chef's and smoking? Both Petrozza and Christina have to create their menus and designs for their restaurant. Here we see Christina diligently working on her menu and design while Petrozza heads for his bed for a nap like a slumbering bear. When they meet with the contractor, Petrozza keeps gushing about flowers, lots and lots of flowers. I almost expected him to start skipping. Christina says simple and elegant and definitely has a clear vision or so it seems. By the sound of it, both are total opposites. Chef tells them that they are flying to New York to see his London NY restaurant, once there he tells them that he is giving both of them a trip to Dubai as a gift. Christina's like yeah!, where's Dubai? Once inside London NY, it's no time to relax for they both have to cook their signature dish for the one last challenge. Christina's like, I've got this in the bag, 10 challenges won! Careful the bragging, you haven't won yet! Petrozza cooks his fillet Mignon while Christina cooks a NY strip steak. I would have cooked Chilean Sea Bass or something other than red meat so the two dishes could be different. Once the dishes are finished, Chef brings in all his executive chef from around the world, how many restaurants does he own? I think the challenge would have been better if the chefs didn't know who cooked what and didn't listen to what the other chefs were saying as well. Petrozza squeaks by with one vote and wins the challenge to have first pick of the returning chefs to help them cook in the finale. But before that, Chef introduces Whoopi Goldberg, who did nothing and said nothing. I didn't understand why she was there, because she loves the show and wants to show her support? Maybe she was hoping to taste their signature dishes and get some free food? Well back to the business of the challenge, Petrozza ends up with Bobby and Ben and Christina with Corey and Louross. The cliffhanger was who gets Matt and Jen, who by the way is looking bitter and mean. By the previews, it looks like Jen is on Petrozza's team with Matt on Christina's. Back in LA, Christina is in a snit because her walls are striped. I didn't want stripes she says, cut to the replay when she picks out the striped wall paper. Gotta love the rewind. Best choice to win it, Christina, but at this point it could be anyone's executive chef hat.-Single D

Hell's Kitchen-Final Two

To celebrate the final three Chef Ramsay will cook the chefs one of his signature dishes but not before their families come in to join them. Petrozza is like a 7 year old seeing his dad and girlfriend. Girlfriend? I thought he would be married with 10 kids! Everyone is seated in the restaurant while Chef whips up his dish. Both Corey and Petrozza are too engrossed with their families to take notice what is being served while spunky Christina has the smarts to say that she better know what's in this dish because he just might ask them to cook it. Her mother says that there's cream in it and Christina says there's also a white bean puree. After lunch, Chef does ask each one of them to cook the dish. That Christina is pretty smart and just might win this whole thing. I thought that was a good challenge had not that the chefs got to taste it again. Hey that's cheating! I think he should have let the chefs cook from memory and not by tasting it again, that would have been a real challenge. Corey says that the sauce is sweet and there must be some raspberry framboise in it which was correct. Petrozza and Christina chose the right kind of meat, venison, but Corey choses buffalo. Petrozza leaves off the puree and Christina gets the sauce wrong,shoulda listened to mom, but Christina wins it again and gets treated to a Hollywood double decker bus tour and lunch with her parents and Chef. Meanwhile, Petrozza and Corey get the ice crushing detail in the kitchen. Dinner service this time will feature how strong each one of them will be expediting food. Corey can't yell at the kitchen staff nor does she have a commanding presence. She was one giggle away from laughing hysterically. Petrozza manages to get into and Christina tries to channel Ramsay. I would have yelled and screamed and swear up and down just like Ramsay because that's what he wants. Be the Ramsay, be the Ramsay. Chef sets up the usual sabotage by leaving off certain ingredients to see if they will be caught before they leave the kitchen. The only one to catch it was Christina. I tell ya, that girl's got a lot on the ball. At the end of dinner service, Chef has the awful dilemma of getting rid of someone. This time it's really difficult because there is no one to hate, how awful is that! Send back Jen! They each have something different to offer, but it is Corey that is sent home with Christina whispering in her ear that she'll be on her team. What does that mean, if she wins will she hire Corey for the restaurant? I hope so, they both said that they work well together, however, if Christina sees what Corey has said about her, like= her voice is so high pitch it gets on my nerves she might think twice. Does Petrozza have a chance? Petrozza is always the bridesmaid never the bride. Can his runner up status in challenges outbeat Christina's moments of brillance? Which one will Chef chose? Average and steady or brilliant and learning? I'm thinking brilliant and learning-Christina-Single D

Hell's Kitchen-Battle of the Final Four

Let's do the Single D's analysis of the final four: Petrozza, the only man left standing. His chances are slim. If he were an animal he would be a rather large domestic hog not only in physical resemblance but in habits (although I heard swine are actually very neat, who said that?). His work stations looks like a herd of stampeding pork running amok. Jen the line chef would be executive chef, who is she auditioning for the Devil? Let's see, cold, calculating, heartless, non-team player, yeah, I would want her cooking in my kitchen. Did I mention heartless? I think her cornrows have been twisted too tight making her lose all sense of reality. Hey Jen, there are other cooks in the kitchen! Ok, she does know how to cook, but if she continually alienates people who is she going to cook for? Corey, a perplexing blend of bitchiness and low self esteem, a squishy lanky blond wrapped up in a chef coat straight jacket. She took a quick early lead and then started to second guess herself and offering herself up as a sacrificial lamb. Hey Corey, get a grip, focus, stop waffling and piss off! Do I sound like Gordon Ramsay? Christina, winner of the most challenges. Doe eyed, lispy sounding, how old is she, 7? Recent culinary grad, greatest potential but cries at the drop of a chef hat. I don't think she has the sass to command a kitchen and no one that young should make more money than me! She needs to wipe her nose, pay her dues and then maybe. Best bet to win, Corey. I think Chef Ramsay is trying to show his softer side by telling the chefs that this is the mother of all challenges. They will have one hour to cook up a lunch dish for 80 people. Christina makes an island chicken sandwich, Cory a salmon BLT, Petrozza a Monte Cristo (love those, hey anything deep fried!) and Jen with a grilled grouper. Immediately Corey falls behind and barely manages to get her food out when chef announces the arrival of the guests, 80 pregnant women. Ha ha Chef, mother of all challenges, who writes this stuff? The winner, Christina by two votes over Petrozza and earns her a $1,000 shopping trip to Beverly Hills! Whoo-hoo! Love it, but does Chef have to go? He acts like the doting father over Christina while she tries on outfit after outfit. Ah, Christina, you better start exercising, I can see all that taste testing is going to your hips! When Christina comes back, everyone is jealous and won't give her the time of day as she ask what can she do to get ready for the dinner service. Well, you can take those precious clothes you bought and put them down the garbage disposal! Come on people, grow up and Christina grow a set! Finally, Petrozza and Corey relent and start talking to her, while Jen is still fuming, I shoulda went shopping that girl's not no taste, like you have a figure, I'm thinking stock pot here! During the dinner service, Chef burns his hand not once but twice on pots that Christina gives him, while Jen is secretly enjoying her misery as her horns poke out even further. Corey asks Jen to help out with the eggs which Jen chooses to ignore. Hey JEN, anyone home? I would have taken the largest sauce pan and knocked her over the head with it, someone needs to bash in those horns! Dinner service ends with Chef saying that this was the best service ever, but someone has to be eliminated. Back in the dorm, Corey suggest that they each write two names down, but not the same two names. Read my lips here, not the same two names. When they tally the votes, Jen writes Christina's name twice. Jen's playing by her own rules I guess, either that or she doesn't know how to count. Chef ask which two for elimination-Christina lispiably says, Jen and Corey (there's that sacrificial lamb thing again). Jen because she has no sense of team playing, there is an I in team for Jen and Corey, because she is not living up to what is expected. For one split second, Christina (and I) thought Chef was going to have an Alzheimer moment and get rid of Corey, but he managed to snap back and remember that Jen is the nightmare from Elm street and sent Jen packing. Sorry Jen, if you would have just a little more soul and a lot more heart you might have made it to that top level, instead, you insisted on listening to that devil on your shoulder. Get an attitude adjustment and piss off!-Single D

Hell's Kitchen Cooking School

The five remaining chefs get a lesson from Chef Ramsay on how to make Lobster Pasta. Their challenge is to teach that receipe to 5 cooking students but not your typical aspiring chefs, but more like Housewives of LA County, domestic divas, who can't tell the difference between a sauce pan and a chef knife. Petrozza gets all flustered and is more interested in putting the apron on his student and sweeping up her hair. Jen is trying to cheat by doing most of the prep work for the student. Forty five minutes later, the student-housewive divas present their dishes to Chef. Chef Ramsay pronounces Corey and Christina's the best, much to the disappointment of Jen (who thought she was going to win again!) and Bobby who has never won a single challenge (which is very telling). Chef chooses Christina's student dish as the best one and for her reward, Mark Peel and Ben Ford to give her their special chef tips. Do we know who they are? I guess I'm celebrity chef challenged. I was wondering if Christina knew who they were, or was she just bluffing? They came to teach her their secret tips while the losers had to scrub down the kitchen. Jen takes on the cleaning nearest the two chefs so she can spy on what they are teaching Christina. When they handed her the dishes to be washed after they ate their preparations, Jen ate the food off their plates so she could taste what they had cooked. Bobby said that she's eating food that's meant for the garbage, that's just wrong. And I agree!

I think the two strongest contenders are Corey and Christina and will probably end up in the final two if they don't make a huge mistake first. For the dinner service it's only 5 chefs in the kitchen and Chef announces that a party of 12 will be coming in.

Again Jen loses it on the fish station and JP quickly tells the waitstaff to push the meat. But when Bobby messes up the meat station, JP is in a quandry and tells them to push the chicken. Hey, push the Jack In the Box down the street, I'm sure they can get the food out. The large table coming are the Hawaiian Tropic Models and JP is acting like a giddy schoolboy. He should team up with Petrozza, they both could drool together! We finally learn that JP is from Beligum not France. Back in the kitchen Chef is riding Jen's chef tails telling her that everytime he tells her something, she just klops along slowly. Chef calls Jen, Bobby and Petrozza-inconsistent, inconsistent and dreaming! With the dinner service finally over, he says the best performance of the evening was Christina and for her to pick two for elimination. At first it looked like she was picking on Petrozza (dreaming) when in fact it was Bobby and Jen that completely lost it. In the end, it was Bobby and Jen for elimination. Bobby has not shined during this whole process and as Corey said Bobby is mediocre, which turns out to be true. So it's goodbye Bobby. The general has left the building.-Single D

Hell's Kitchen-Looney Tunes by Matt

This episode, Chef sends Jen back to the girls team and Matt back to the guys team. Neither side is happy with the switch. At 6 am the blindfolded group finds themselves on the roof top of Chef Ramsay's new LA eatery London West Hollywood. It is here that he announces that the teams will merge. For their first individual challenge each person is assigned one item, Petrozza-chicken, Matt-veal, Christina-sea bass, Corey-lobster, Jen-beef and Bobby-duck. Pretty much everyone did really well, but Chef chooses Jen's paper thin rib eye as the winner. Chef likes her dish so much that he's going to put it on the dinner menu. For her reward she gets to chose one person to accompany her. She choses Corey, which Matt says it's like pairing a cobra with a mongoose. So it's off to Las Vegas, baby! to see last season's winner, Roc at Green Valley Ranch at his Terra Verde restaurant. What a nice gig. The girls get a gorgeous suite with their very own bath and their very own swimming pool. Must be nice! The rest of the group gets the delivery punishment, carrying heavy supplies into the restaurant. Matt complains non-stop getting on everyone's last nerve. Bobby says Matt is like a full metal jacket when he's pissed. Matt definitely needs some anger management classes. He's so looney, he's one fork short of a set, he's the missing knife in the butcher block, he can't find his beans and franks with both hands (as Jeffie would say), there's a cuckoo missing in the clock, he forgot to take the out to lunch sign off his head, ok, he's just plain psycho and lives in the land of twilight zone, cue music.

Chef Ramsay must know that Matt is really getting to Christina and pairs them up together on the meat station for the dinner service. Pretty much dinner service is a disaster with Christina and Bobby mixing meats while cooking them, like cooking the salmon with the chicken? Corey loses it on the vegetable station, how hard is it to cook green beans? And again Matt is out in left field, not understanding the simplest English instruction, 2 rib eye, 1 chicken, 2 wellingtons!! Matt's brain has left the building and Matt tells Chef he has a migraine, no Matt, it's not a migraine, you need a brain for that! Hey Matt, you've given us a migraine! Chef is so frustrated he sends everyone out of the kitchen. Gee, I wondered who finished the cooking for the customers? JP? He says for them to come back when they have nominated two for elimination. When Chef ask who they chose, Petrozza says Matt and when Chef ask Corey who else, Corey says Christina, but offers herself because she failed on veggies. Chef calls all three up and brings the chef knife down on Matt. In the end, Chef recites poetry as we see Matt walk off without his chef coat-

"There once was a boy named Matt, whose performance fell flat. He was terrible on meat, it was no easy feat, and so he's gone and that's that!" or something like that!-Single D

Hell's Kitchen-Goodbye Louross

Matt is still reeling from his poor performance during the dinner service from which he managed to squeak by without getting fired. The challenge the next day is a cooking relay which looks fun. They are to cook three items from the dinner service menu, scallops, Jan Dore and chicken. Jen's bossy side is still in control telling Louross that he should sit this one out since he is quick but gets nothing done. Louross, Bobby and Petrozza are frustrated with her yet they won't stand up to her. What! Are they afraid of her or what? When Chef ask which one will sit out, Louross says I am. Chef says he's surprised and Louross says so is he. Each chef will have 6 minutes to cook and 15 seconds to tell the next person where they left off. It's Matt vs Petrozza, Christina vs Bobby and Jen vs Corey who will go last. The last person will be the deciding factor for each team. Jen thinks she will be able to whip the other side, but in the end forgets to put sauce on two dishes and ultimately the red teams wins. The red team gets a day at the beach learning how to surf with Chef Ramsay. It looked like so much fun especially when Chef Ramsay threw JP into the water. I'm wondering if JP is not only the maitre'd, but also Chef Ramsay's personal manservant, he was bringing up the beach towels for heaven sake. Meanwhile, the blue team gets to scrub down HK for dinner service. Once back at the restaurant, Chef Ramsay tells the teams they will be creating their own dinner menus. The red team is working cooperatively while the blue team, you guessed it, it's a hostile takeover with Jen trying to control everything. Chef loves the red team's menu while he hates the blue team's and tells them to make some changes. At dinner service, both teams run into trouble with getting the plates out, but it is Matt who is dripping sweat into the pasta sauce and everyone is complaining that the sauce is too salty! Gawd, isn't that illegal or something? Good Grief, put a bandanna on your sweaty head! Matt is falling apart at every station on the red team, while Louross has a breakdown in the meat station. In the end, I think the red station had the most mess ups, but Chef declares the blue team as losers and chooses Petrozza to pick two for elimination. Petrozza chooses, Louross, he reminds me of a rabid chihuahua, and Jen, the snarling bull dog. Petrozza says of Jen, that she feels she has more to teach, when in fact she has more to learn. Spoken like a true poet chef! Chef Ramsay then asks Petrozza who he would choose to leave, and Petrozza says, Louross, which is exactly who Chef Ramsay said he would eliminate. So it's bye, bye for little chihuahua Louross. He should have stood up to that bullying like his mohawk stands up on his head, but in the end he could not stand up to Jen's snarling bulldog attitude. Jen, go pick on someone your own size and Louross grow a backbone!-Single D

Hell's Kitchen-Goodbye Roseann

Why is it that I always miss the first ten minutes? I come in to see Jen being transferred to the blue men's team much to the glee of Corey. Finally peace has come to the red team, or so they think. The food challenge involves 20 ingredients, 4 dishes and all ingredients must be used but not more than once. Sounds easy enough. The girls are methodical and portion out the items quickly while the blue team is trying to sort it out and takes up most of the 45 minutes to decide who will cook what. Jen's big mouth is not winning any points with the guy's team of course. She really is like a bull in a china shop. Well into the cooking we see Matt gasp as he claims that he sliced off the tip of his finger. Ouch that's gotta hurt. They call for the medic and whisk him out of the kitchen. Yikes is there blood on the cutting board? Chef Ramsay ask does anyone know where the finger is as the girls peer into a pan of cooking pancetta. Ick! Guess I know where I won't be eating tonight! I don't know if they ever found the tip, however, I'm wondering if that counted as one of the 20 items? Down to the final few seconds and Louross is debating whether he should put the veal with his fish as he doesn't want to wreck the taste. Hey buddy, you don't have a choice, do ya? You have to use all the ingredients! That narcisstic decision cost the blue team a win and so they are stuck with hand washing all the linens, while the red team gets the In Style photo shoot. You knew the girls would win. Chef Ramsay always makes the girls win for that photo shoot. I think he thinks he looks better with women draped all over him rather than sweaty guys. I was surprised how well the girls cleaned up. I could barely recognize them. Meanwhile Jen is cursing at Louross for not putting the veal on his dish, how could you be so stupid! Louross is getting mad at Jen's attitude, hey I'd be pissed too! Now go do my laundry!

That evening the surprise guest for this dinner service are two food critics, one from Zagat and the other one I don't remember, all I know is that she was stuffing food in her mouth. Hey, I want that job! The blue team falters when Petrozza cuts the beef too soon. Who cut the beef? But that was their only trip up as the girls quickly fall apart and Chef Ramsay sends the tearful red team out of the kitchen and makes the blue team finish their dinner service. After the service ends, Chef Ramsay tells them that the critics declared the blue team the winners, much to Jen's obvious delight. He tells Corey to chose two from her team for nomination. She picks Matt and Roseann, but Chef also calls out Christina. After an English beating, he sends Roseann back to the line but wait, not so fast cookie, he then decides to fire her. Aw man, that's mean! He's had it in for Roseann from the first NY accented word she spoke in his kitchen. And so with that, Roseann is stripped of her chef coat. Hey, have you noticed when Chef Ramsay says 'Piss off" it's really a term of endearment? Honey I love you, piss off!-Single D

American Idol-The Finale-Duel of the Davids

Let me be brief-David Archuleta wins American Idol!!!!

Well, that's the way I had imagined in my mind, but here's what happened:

Finale countdown and it's the duel of the Davids. American Idol played it off like a boxing match between heavy hitter, David Cook and the lightweight contender, David Archuleta. They even had that boxing announcer, what's his name, as ringmaster. This was really a showdown of two different styles of singing. David Cook the rocker wannabe and the soulfully pure voice of David Archuleta. I like them both and they will both be successful I'm sure. Does David Cook have the kind of voice that you will remember in the years ahead or will his fame come from rocking some really great tunes like rock bands before him. Really, no one remembers a rockers voice, they only remember the song. Can you really say that Cook has a memorable voice? Will he be remembered as one of the great singers from American Idol. Can he match the vocal skills of Carrie Underwood or Kelly Clarkson? I think not. He'll make a great lead singer for a band, like Daughtry, but as a solo artist, not hardly. Little David does need some more maturing and experience. He's definitely wet around the edges and you can so totally see the difference in their ages. David Cook is more polish and secure on stage which in a few more years David A, will be there too. I think David A. made a believer out of Simon Cowell, as Simon was on Ellen the other day saying that he was hoping for Cook to win. That night, Simon told little David that it was a knockout declaring David A. the winner! You made a believer out of Simon and if you made a believer out of one of Idol's most caustic judges then you must be it! I didn't have a shadow of doubt that David A would not walk away with the crown, wrong! First of all, let me say that the final night of Idol was way too long, about an hour too long. I started to lose my interest right around the nine o'clock hour when I decided to go on my computer and what is on the internet, but the Idol spoiler! David Cook wins the Idol Crown it screams across my screen! What! So I quickly type in Zabasearch, this website has been predicting Idol spoilers and there on it's website it declares David Cook as the winner, stats and all. I was so disappointed that David A didn't win, that I didn't watch the rest of the idol finale. I'm sure David A will get signed on to some record deal, but it would have been nice to see this humble kid win. David Cook wasn't even interested in singing, he just auditioned on a whim and now look at him, winner of American Idol. Well, good luck David Cook, hope you're not just a flash in the pan to fade to black and white like some previous idol contestants. Meanwhile, I'm sure we haven't heard the last from David Archuleta, at least while his dad is in charge! -Single D

Hell's Kitchen-Taste Testing

Matt is overjoyed at his defection to the girls team, but for the girls he's going to need to prove himself before he's accepted. Now I don't really have an opinion about him, but I tend to think that he is probably misjudged alot because he always wears a scowl on his face. It's just his natural face but it's always in frown mode. Poor guy, I know plastic surgery could help that. The reward challenge involves the infamous palate taste testing. Both groups taste three dishes cooked up the the chef himself, chicken pot pie, beef stew, and raviolis, with one major ingredient missing! Everyone seems to think it's some kind of spice or something. Petrozzi thinks something is wrong with the meat but can't pinpoint it. Everyone loves the ravioli but doesn't realize it's missing the pork. The other dishes are made with tofu/soy substitute meat products instead of the chicken and beef. Now you would think they would be able to tell the difference between tofu and beef. The next challenge is the blind taste test. Again, how do you not know the taste of yams and nectarines? The girls are in the lead, when it comes down to the final taste test between rivals, Ben and Matt tasting the clam chowder. They had to name the 10 ingredients in the soup. Much to my surprise, Matt was able to name more ingredients and won the challenge for the girls. Winners get a spa treatment, losers clean the dorms. Matt is ecstatic that he won the challenge for the girls and seems to be enjoying the chocolate facial mask when Ben comes in to serve them tea. Hummm, chocolate mask, yum! The dinner service is pretty much the same rerun with Roseann messing up again and Louross in stall mode. Ben is by far the worst performer of the evening. Matt is so happy that Ben is getting hammered by Chef that it is translating into his putting out the best risotto that has ever been made in Hell's Kitchen according to Chef Ramsay. Matt is so proud his chest is puffed out like a proud rooster in a chicken coop. Unfortunately, it seems like both teams can't get their stuff together to make a complete dinner service, so it's "shut it down!". Chef Ramsay calls the men's team as the losers and for each of them to nominate someone. Back in the dorm, Ben is the first one to call on Louross to be nominated even tho it was Ben himself as the weakest member. Bobby doesn't want to go along with that and says why not each one of us vote for each other so that all four go up, which I thought very democratic. Petrozza is not sold on the idea and says he has to think about it. In front of Ramsay, each one nominates each other until it's Petrozza's turn. He says he can't nominate anyone, what! Come on, Ben was the weakest link, swallow crow and nominate him! Petrozzi says he will nominate himself. Chef Ramsay is surprise by his self sacrificing valor and knows that it took alot of guts to do that. In the end, it's Ben that is eliminated, he really needed to go, he was just plain mean, and as Matt said, karma will get you every time.-Single D

American Idol-Final Three

This week it's the battle of the final three-two David's and one Syesha. The evening was sort of a disappointment. I really didn't think they needed to sing 3 songs, that didn't show their vocal abilities at all. It left me wanting more, like Chinese food. I know I ate something, but I can't remember what it was. I think David Archuleta struggled last night. His song choices were terrible. I can see why his intrusive stage dad wanted them changed. The first song "And So It Goes" was alright, but his second, Chris Brown's song, which I absolutely love,"With You" was not good. I bet his dad chose that song. And the last producer's choice "Longer Than" was just ok. Big disappointment, since I'm a huge Archuleta fan. What can I say about Syesha, she looked amazing. I hated that "Fever" song-way too old for her to be singing. At least she has a great first name that can stand alone like all the other great single name artist like Cher and Madonna. I think David Cook had the better song choices, however, I'm not really a fan like I would go out and buy his CD. The judges have told David A that he needed more emotion in his eyes well what about David Cook, he always looks like a dead fish when he sings, there is absolutely no emotion in his eys. I think the final battle will be between the two Davids. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for David Archuleta, let's hope his dad keeps his golfers cap head out of David's singing!-Single D

American Idol-Final Four

Where has the season gone that we are now down to the final four, David Cook, David Archuleta, Syesha and Jason. This week it's music from the Rock and Roll hall of fame. David Cook starts the show off with "Hungry Like the Wolf"-is that a classic? It was just ok. It seems to me that all his songs sound the same. He really needs to tame the hair and have a make over. Will someone find him a comb? I thought Syesha's Proud Mary, would make Tina Turner proud, although Simon thought it was a cheap karaoke. I thought the second song was ok, although I didn't recognize that Sam Cook song. I know she's proud of her heritage, but does she have to get all weepy eye over it? Maybe it was the pressure of this whole thing. Syesha does have an amazing range to her voice and yes, all her songs sound different. I think that finally the judges are beginning to see that Jason really doesn't have the right stuff. Jason chose a Bob Marley song. Why, duh, because of the hair dude! I thought "I Shot the Sheriff" was terrible. Can you really display amazing vocals on that song? When even Paula is hesitant to like it, then you know it's really bad. I thought his second choice, "Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man" was a perfect choice. His voice reminds me of Cat Stevens, sing some Cat for us!

The show stealer of the evening was David Archuleta singing one of my favorites, "Stand By Me". I could melt! Now that's a classic. When he said that he was going to sing the Elvis, "Love Me Tender", I thought why? But his rendition of it was pure magic. I can't imagine what his voice would be like if he had both vocal chords, truly amazing! Shame on you stage Dad! He's lucky that he didn't ruin David's voice and my choice to win this whole thing! -Single D

Hell's Kitchen-Sweet Sixteen

Ok, I missed the beginning when both sides were dishing the dirt and came in when the announcer said that both sides lack harmony-ya think? A trip to my favorite LA 's Farmers Market, at the Grove is such a wonderful food emporium. Next time you find yourself in LA visit that place. A part of old LA with a new mix of restaurants and shops. One of my favorite places to eat was Dupars where you could sometime see movie stars and TV personalities. One time at breakfast, the Maytag repairman was sitting behind me eating his oatmeal and coffeecake. Bless his heart! The food is amazing there so with just $100.00 and 25 minutes leaves very little time to ogle the culinary delights of that place. The reward challenge is to cook three dishes for a sweet sixteen party. Both teams back at Hell's Kitchen need to cook their dishes in 45 minutes before the teen and her mother come to judge the dishes to be served at her Sweet Sixteen party. Matt is criticizing the guys for making something so common as chicken wings which is served up to Melissa with raving reviews. Chalk one up for the guys. Next dish by the girls was halibut with mango salsa which Ben declares as so yesterday. The girls won that round. For the third dish, Melissa was torn between the steak and fries by the girls or the surf and turf by the guys. Initially, Melissa looked like she was going for the girls dish until meddling mom piped up and said remember who will be eating your food, then Melissa said, well that changed my mind and gave it to the guys. The guys win the reward challenge and are treated to a day of go carting and special dessert creations while the girls have to decorate for the party that evening. Hey, I would have loved to do that, not bad for losing. They could have had to go through garbage or something! The party planner shows up dressed in a loud orange suit, was that for real? I think the whole gay party planner was put on. He just didn't look genuine. Where's the party planner from "Father of the Bride"?

Looks like Louross has a crush on Corey. Careful Louross, Corey will eat you alive!

During the dinner service, I was wondering if Chef Ramsay would contain his foul mouth in front of a teenager party? The party planner tries to talk over Chef Ramsay explosive outburst. The one dish that needed to be cooked to perfection were that of Melissa and moms. However, both are sent back to the kitchen. Once again, Bobby jumps in to save Matt's station as he is having a break down. It is a rush to complete the dinner service and Chef Ramsay says that this time no one will be eliminated, because it was a 98 to 99% return rate evaluation. At that Matt had to open his big mouth and say that was very nice of you, when Chef Ramsay says go, Piss off, go back and nominate one from each team for elimination. Nice going Matt, next time keep your mouth shut!

The guys chose Matty and the girls chose Shayna which surprises Chef Ramsay again and calls out Roseann as well. He really wants Roseann gone. Shayna however opens her mouth and tells Ramsay that she left a 3 month old baby at home to come do this. Ah ha! Fate seal, you could tell that at that moment, Chef was edging for Roseann, but when Shayna said that about her baby, he decided right there that she needed to be home. Goodbye Shayna, how could you leave your newborn? Chef Ramsay did the right thing. Oh yeah, Matt goes to the girls team, let's see if he can make any friends there.-Single D

Hell's Kitchen-Pizza with Pizzazz!

Vanessa's hand is so seriously wounded from the oil spill that she will have to see a plastic surgeon, maybe he can remove some of those brown spots on her face as well, ouch! Chef Ramsay shows the chefs a pizza creation from one of his restaurants that fetch a whopping price of $200.00! It is made of white truffles, in my book it better come with a diamond bracelet under that pepperoni, er truffle. The challenge, to create a high end pizza in 45 minutes. This challenge definitely delineated how each team works, with the girls communicating with each other on what each one was making. The guys being the territorial animals that they are, didn't speak to each, they just sniffed around like dogs inspecting a fire hydrant. I do have to give credit to Matt as he tried to get the guys to talk to each other in an effort to win this challenge. After all the pizzas are make, each team will have to decide which pizza merits the taste test from Chef Ramsay. The girls choose Jen's French/Italian Pizza and the guys chose Ben's duck confit (what exactly is confit?). Chef says it's really close but in the end chooses Jen's prosciutto and sundried tomato over Ben's duck confit and chanteralls (which were gritty). For the girl's reward a helicopter ride to Santa Barbara to eat at "Square One', home of the $90.00 burger. If I'm eating a $90.00 piece of meat, it better be accompanied by a lobster!

The guys have to do the prep for the evening and Louross is losing it. He has a towel wrapped around his head and is crying, jeez, get a grip and stop the whining! Matt, the softie of the group still insist that they need to communicate. He reminds me of the "cowardly lion", if I were king of the jungle!

Before the dinner service begins, Vanessa is frustrated that she can't work up to her level and goes to speak with Chef. She doesn't want to stay if she can't compete at 100%. Personally, I think it was just too much for her and this was her way out. So after about 2 seconds of thinking it over, she told Chef Ramsay, she was bowing out.

On top of trying to complete the dinner service, which will feature the winning pizza, they will also be delivering pizza in a golf cart with Ben as the pizza delivery man. In the kitchen, our cowardly lion, Matt has trouble cooking the quail eggs so finally for once, Bobby, who dubs himself the four star general, acted like one for once, and stepped in to cook the eggs. The phone is ringing off the hook with pizza orders, and it's Ben's turn to deliver the pizza. He did manage to find the address for someone not knowing LA, must not have been too far. Hey Ben, if you wash out of Hell's Kitchen, you could always deliver pizzas fpr a living! Both sides for once complete the dinner service, but not without it's weak players, Roseann for the girls and Matt for the guys. However, Chef tells each team to call out one person for elimination. The girls first decide on Roseann but then flip to Christina as a ploy to get the strongest competitor out. The guys vote Louross. Chef is confused when the girls nominate Christina as clearly she's was not the weakest player. As he's about to say who is leaving Hell's Kitchen, he decides that no one will leave this week as Vanessa bowed out leaving a stay of execution for Louross and Christina. Hey, did I tell you Roseann looks like my cousin, Sue? I wonder if she smokes and drinks coke like a fiend?-Single D

American Idol-Neil Diamond Songs

This week it is Neil Diamond songs-is he still alive? If he is, he's really well pickled. Hey Neil, whose your plastic surgeon? This week each idoltestant gets to sing two Neil Diamond songs, are there that many? Jason Castro chose to sing "September Morn" which I think suited his corny subway voice. And "Reverend in Blue Jeans" which I absolutely hated. Hey Jason, you can still make money singing with your guitar case open in the subway stations!

I'm sorry to say, that I think David Cook is a fraud. Sorry David, but I have read that your "arrangements" to your chosen songs were not entirely your "own" arrangements. Hey, what do you say about that? The judges gushed on how innovating and entirely different and new you made certain songs sound as your own, when it was previously done by other artists. I think at least you could have given some sort of credit to your predecessors. I knew there was something artificial about him, as he doesn't come off entirely sincere. Brooke White sang "I'm a Believer". Isn't that a "Monkeys" song? Either way, I'm not a believer! Although she sounded good sitting at her piano singing "I Am, I Said". And David Archuleta picked the perfect song in "America" , he's religious and patriotic! Kudos for Simon admitting he picked the perfect song. And poor Syesha, are the judging not hearing what I am hearing through my TV? I think her singing voice is amazing, well if you like Broadway that is. Don't worry Syesha, you'll have a theatrical career at any rate.

The highlight of the entire evening though, was when our ditsy, drunk, damsel, Paula was giving her critiques on the first round of songs, and thought that Jason had already sung two songs. She rambled on and on about his two songs, how she loved it when he sang in his lower register on the first song....blah, blah, blah. I wished they would have let her mouth keep running, but the look on Ryan Seacrest's face was priceless and Randy had to rescue Paula by saying that he only sang one song. Paula was then totally confused, what? I thought he sang two songs? Paula, next time you drink before the show, make sure you sober up before going on the air! -Single D

American Idol-Andrew Lloyd Webber

I love the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber, especially the "Phantom of the Opera", but those songs are so huge and can the idoltestants sing such big songs? Syesha sang "One Rock and Roll too Many". Ok I have never heard that song and it is probably best left on the Broadway stage. I must say that this is definitely Syesha's element and looks like she should be Broadway bound. I can so see her in a Broadway play-hey Oprah-how about casting her in "The Color Purple"?

Dreadlock Jason singing "Memories" was simply awful. Who can beat Streisand's version of it. Jason needs to go, his singing is just too weak and go cut your hair please! Brooke White is so cute, but her false start with "You Must Love Me" got away from her when she forgot the beginning lyric. Kinda of awkward there. David Archuleta sang another song I didn't recognize and gave it a very contemporary spin. As the camera pans to his family, there was David's dad sitting all proud like. Does he know that there are stories out there about how he is the stage dad from H.... ! Makes me think he was the one that pushed David's singing to the brink of ruining his vocal chord during the "Star Search" thing. Bad Dad! Now go home and leave David alone, he will be a star without your meddling!

Carly sang the perfect "Jesus Christ, SuperStar" and her voice is definitely big enough to carry it and she looked great in that outfit. All this season, I have not been a fan of David Cook. Every theme week, he takes a song and retools it to the unrecognizable. Last week I was saying to my husband, why can't the guy just sing the song. His reworking of every song is in my opinion arrogant and narcissistic, but this week, I was pleasantly surprised when he sang "Music of the Night". He did nothing but just plain sing and it was really really good. I was amazed at his voice. See David, you don't always have to dress up a song to make it sound good. Maybe it will be a voice off between the two Davids. Meanwhile, I'm thinking either Brooke or Jason needs to leave tonight. Sorry guys, maybe you two should team up?

Elimination night, another shocker as Carly, one of the strongest voices of the group graciously takes her exit. I still can't believe that neither Jason or Brooke were in the bottom two and managed to survive another week.-Single D