In new Elle article, he also name-checks Linda Blair, Jane Fonda and Ellen Burstyn as childhood crushes. By Jocelyn Vena Robert Pattinson in Elle Photo: Carter Smith / Art + Commerce These days, Robert Pattinson is the guy who girls hang posters of on their walls at home. But when the “Twilight” heartthrob was growing up, he had a few lovely ladies covering his bedroom walls. “I was always obsessed with Kate Moss. On my bedroom wall, I had a poster of Linda Blair and Kate Moss,” he told Elle of his celebrity crushes growing up. “I always liked Jane Fonda. Who else? Ellen Burstyn.” Pattinson, these days, is as hot as British supermodel Moss was back in the ’90s. He’s a screen god with a growing r
Experts say Pia’s ninth-place finish is up there with Jennifer Hudson, Chris Daughtry, Tamyra Gray. By Gil Kaufman Pia Toscano appears on “American Idol” on Thursday Photo: FOX For die-hard “American Idol” fans, every week’s elimination is a gut-punch, a “c’mon, really?” moment where they can’t believe America didn’t vote to keep their favorite singer on the show. But from the moment Pia Toscano hit the bottom three for the first time to the jaw-dropping realization that she was going home in ninth place, Thursday night’s elimination felt like an “Idol”-quake of possibly historic proportions. The contestants seemed stunned, Randy Jackson held his head and said “no, no” and then appeared to mouth an expletive, and Jennifer Lopez was brought to tears at the realization that one of the most viable female contestants in recent “Idol” history was gone and that the judges appeared to have squandered their save on commercially suspect Casey Abrams. “I’m really bummed about this. It just sucks,” said longtime “Idol” watcher and TVLine.com “Idol” recapper Michael Slezak. “One of the main factors is the judges. There’s been a complete absence of any kind of guidance from the judging panel, which opens up the prospect of ‘vote for your favorite.’ And if you pick your favorite early on, you stick with them and vote 500 times a night no matter how they perform.” Slezak faulted the show for pushing viewers to vote for their favorites rather than the best performances, and he said while this might not be the most shocking “Idol” elimination of all time, it is definitely the most disappointing in the show’s history. Yes, in retrospect, it was a bummer that now-successful rocker Chris Daughtry went out in fourth place ahead of eventual winner Taylor Hicks and that veteran backup singer Melinda Doolittle left in third place behind runner-up beatboxer Blake Lewis in season six. And nobody can ever forget (or forgive) the seventh-place finish of eventual Oscar and Grammy winner Jennifer Hudson in season three. But Slezak said Toscano’s ouster is perhaps the most troubling for what it says about the 10th season of “Idol.” After seemingly getting on a roll with the fresh energy of new judges Lopez and Steven Tyler and a ratings boost and some buzz, he said the show has slid into dangerous territory over the past few weeks that may put it on a road to ruin. “At least with Tamyra [Gray] and Daughtry, they finished fourth, so there were five more weeks of performances, and you could see the full scope of what they could do,” he said. “We were still finding out who Pia was. and she could have grown more, and now we’ll never see that.” He said after a good start and a rebound from a terrible season nine, this sets “Idol” back 20 paces because Pia felt like someone who could really sell albums, as opposed to a “cute guy” who voters will text in their support for 500 times but probably never buy an album from. Also disappointed was “Idol” blogger MJ Santilli , who said, for her, it was definitely one of the most shocking eliminations ever on the show. “It’s easy to forget what a terrible contestant Jennifer Hudson was in light of her recent successes,” she said of Hudson’s up-and-down run on “Idol.” “Daughtry’s boot came toward the end of the contest, when pretty much anything can happen. Plus, by top four, it was pretty clear that Taylor Hicks was kicking his ass. I would say the same for Tamyra. Her ouster came close to the end of the competition. Kelly Clarkson had already gained momentum,” she said of the other singers whose early boots have set the shock standard for the show. Santilli said Pia seemed destined for a Gray-esque boot in fourth or fifth place, because, like Gray, she was a technically proficient singer who didn’t excite viewers. “But the idea of so many of Pia’s fellow Idols outlasting her was unfathomable,” she said. Slezak said one thing that is clear after Thursday’s result is that the judges have “Pia’s blood” on their hands. “For Randy to sit there slack-jawed and J.Lo to force out tears … after the last two weeks, the idea of giving actual critiques went out the window,” he said. “The last two weeks, everyone gets a gold star. When you give everyone the same gold star, it’s confusing. There are nine performances in 90 minutes and a lot happens, and it’s their job to give voters a sense of direction … who is working and who might be a viable recording artist. Otherwise, why have them up there if they say everyone is great?” In other words, after lots of talk about how nobody was missing meanie go-to judge Simon Cowell this season, it seems viewers are, indeed, in need of his strong, guiding hand. Another potential problem, Slezak noted, is that after 10 seasons, the newness of voting has worn off and perhaps some voters are thinking, “Why should I vote for Pia 20 times when some teenager in her bedroom is going to text 400 times” for the cute guy? Do you think Pia’s elimination is the most shocking in “Idol” history? Let us know in comment below. Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Videos ‘American Idol’ In 60 Seconds Related Photos ‘American Idol’ Season 10 Performances
Experts say Pia’s ninth-place finish is up there with Jennifer Hudson, Chris Daughtry, Tamyra Gray. By Gil Kaufman Pia Toscano appears on “American Idol” on Thursday Photo: FOX For die-hard “American Idol” fans, every week’s elimination is a gut-punch, a “c’mon, really?” moment where they can’t believe America didn’t vote to keep their favorite singer on the show. But from the moment Pia Toscano hit the bottom three for the first time to the jaw-dropping realization that she was going home in ninth place, Thursday night’s elimination felt like an “Idol”-quake of possibly historic proportions. The contestants seemed stunned, Randy Jackson held his head and said “no, no” and then appeared to mouth an expletive, and Jennifer Lopez was brought to tears at the realization that one of the most viable female contestants in recent “Idol” history was gone and that the judges appeared to have squandered their save on commercially suspect Casey Abrams. “I’m really bummed about this. It just sucks,” said longtime “Idol” watcher and TVLine.com “Idol” recapper Michael Slezak. “One of the main factors is the judges. There’s been a complete absence of any kind of guidance from the judging panel, which opens up the prospect of ‘vote for your favorite.’ And if you pick your favorite early on, you stick with them and vote 500 times a night no matter how they perform.” Slezak faulted the show for pushing viewers to vote for their favorites rather than the best performances, and he said while this might not be the most shocking “Idol” elimination of all time, it is definitely the most disappointing in the show’s history. Yes, in retrospect, it was a bummer that now-successful rocker Chris Daughtry went out in fourth place ahead of eventual winner Taylor Hicks and that veteran backup singer Melinda Doolittle left in third place behind runner-up beatboxer Blake Lewis in season six. And nobody can ever forget (or forgive) the seventh-place finish of eventual Oscar and Grammy winner Jennifer Hudson in season three. But Slezak said Toscano’s ouster is perhaps the most troubling for what it says about the 10th season of “Idol.” After seemingly getting on a roll with the fresh energy of new judges Lopez and Steven Tyler and a ratings boost and some buzz, he said the show has slid into dangerous territory over the past few weeks that may put it on a road to ruin. “At least with Tamyra [Gray] and Daughtry, they finished fourth, so there were five more weeks of performances, and you could see the full scope of what they could do,” he said. “We were still finding out who Pia was. and she could have grown more, and now we’ll never see that.” He said after a good start and a rebound from a terrible season nine, this sets “Idol” back 20 paces because Pia felt like someone who could really sell albums, as opposed to a “cute guy” who voters will text in their support for 500 times but probably never buy an album from. Also disappointed was “Idol” blogger MJ Santilli , who said, for her, it was definitely one of the most shocking eliminations ever on the show. “It’s easy to forget what a terrible contestant Jennifer Hudson was in light of her recent successes,” she said of Hudson’s up-and-down run on “Idol.” “Daughtry’s boot came toward the end of the contest, when pretty much anything can happen. Plus, by top four, it was pretty clear that Taylor Hicks was kicking his ass. I would say the same for Tamyra. Her ouster came close to the end of the competition. Kelly Clarkson had already gained momentum,” she said of the other singers whose early boots have set the shock standard for the show. Santilli said Pia seemed destined for a Gray-esque boot in fourth or fifth place, because, like Gray, she was a technically proficient singer who didn’t excite viewers. “But the idea of so many of Pia’s fellow Idols outlasting her was unfathomable,” she said. Slezak said one thing that is clear after Thursday’s result is that the judges have “Pia’s blood” on their hands. “For Randy to sit there slack-jawed and J.Lo to force out tears … after the last two weeks, the idea of giving actual critiques went out the window,” he said. “The last two weeks, everyone gets a gold star. When you give everyone the same gold star, it’s confusing. There are nine performances in 90 minutes and a lot happens, and it’s their job to give voters a sense of direction … who is working and who might be a viable recording artist. Otherwise, why have them up there if they say everyone is great?” In other words, after lots of talk about how nobody was missing meanie go-to judge Simon Cowell this season, it seems viewers are, indeed, in need of his strong, guiding hand. Another potential problem, Slezak noted, is that after 10 seasons, the newness of voting has worn off and perhaps some voters are thinking, “Why should I vote for Pia 20 times when some teenager in her bedroom is going to text 400 times” for the cute guy? Do you think Pia’s elimination is the most shocking in “Idol” history? Let us know in comment below. Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Videos ‘American Idol’ In 60 Seconds Related Photos ‘American Idol’ Season 10 Performances
Celebs take to Twitter to express shock after singer’s ‘American Idol’ elimination. By Gil Kaufman Pia Toscano sings goodbye on “American Idol” Photo: FOX It was the shock heard ’round the world. Within hours of Pia Toscano’s unexpected elimination on “American Idol” on Thursday night, celebrities and past “Idol” contestants took to Twitter to express their dismay at the ousting of the raven-haired singer who many had pegged as the woman who could break the recent string of male dominance on the show. “Who are the people that vote on ‘American Idol’?,” tweeted Ashton Kutcher. “That’s just crazy! That Pia girl is dope.” Oscar and Grammy winner Jennifer Hudson , who knows a thing or two about being booted off “Idol” way before her time, was equally dumbfounded. “I can not believe they just eliminated Pia!,” she wrote to her followers. “Really???? … Long as she walked away with that voice she will be alright!! Just hate to see talent like that go!” Some “Jersey Shore” castmembers were also upset about the results, with Sammi “Sweetheart” Giancola writing , “Nooo please tell me why Pia is in the bottom 3?!” early in the show, then following up with, “WHAT!!!!!!!!! … wow. Upset over ‘American Idol’ right now.” Housemate Snooki wasn’t feeling it either, saying simply, ” ‘American Idol’ … WTF … Pia should have won the whole thing! I’m not watchin Idol anymore. I’m with JLO on this one.” After begging fans to stay with the show following Toscano’s booting, host Ryan Seacrest tweeted about what the scene was like when the cameras stopped rolling. “After we went off air no one in audience left their seat, everyone was in shock. Judges walked on stage to talk to her,” he wrote . “@JLo was emotional.” He used the opportunity to once again urge viewers to vote if they don’t like the results of Thursday’s show. “No one is EVER safe,” he insisted. “Gotta vote for ur fav.” Beatboxing singer Blake Lewis, runner-up to the last female who won the show, season six’s Jordin Sparks, was also dismayed, but said he thought Pia would be just fine. “Wow. Still blown away by America not voting for PIA! @PToscanoAI10 She will record a dope record and be fine, but come on. This stinks,” he tweeted . Other celebs weighed in as well, including one-season “Idol” judge Ellen DeGeneres, who told her followers that she was “shocked and sad” about Pia’s exit. Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks wrote , “Don’t have an ‘Idol’ habit, but how could the USA vote Pia off? I may be done for the season!” Others expressing dismay included Marlon Wayans, Minka Kelly, Alyssa Milano, former “Idol” finalist Melinda Doolittle and “Parenthood” actor Dax Shepard. In the end, Pia herself tweeted a farewell (for now), telling her followers, “I’m truly going to miss my idol family! Thank you @JLo Randy and Steven for believing in me. Love you and love my fans!” How do you feel about Pia’s elimination? Let us know in the comments below! Related Videos ‘American Idol’ In 60 Seconds Related Photos ‘American Idol’ Season 10 Performances ‘American Idol’ Season 10 Top 24
Uh oh… somebody’s sayin’ Malcolm was gay for pay? Manning Marable’s 594-page biography Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention was released on April 4th, and the book has aroused more conversation about the slain Civil Rights leader’s sexuality than a little bit, but folks should know Marable isn’t the first to say Malcolm X had same-sex relations. Bruce Perry, with his 1991 biography, Malcolm: The Life of a Man Who Changed Black America has that honor. Blogger Irene Monroe recently wrote about the topic, and she raises the point that some of the “relations” Perry claims Malcolm had were of the “gay-for-pay” variety: According to Perry, Malcolm’s same-sex dalliances date back to childhood, where he enjoyed being masturbated or fellated. In his 20s, Perry informs us, Malcolm had a sustained sexual relationship with a transvestite named Willie Mae, and also he had sex with gay men for money, boasting he serviced “queers.” Monroe, who is a lesbian activist, scholar and public theologian, cautions the LGBTQ community from jumping to embrace Malcolm as one of their own, explaining that the context in which Malcolm allegedly engaged in said behaviors is important to consider: I am not heterosexist apologist, but if we as LGBTQ people use this era of Malcolm’s life to claim him as gay, we misunderstand the art and survivalism of street hustling culture. Similarly, if we, as African Americans, use this era of Malcolm’s life to dismiss that he engaged in same-sex relationships, many will miss the opportunity to purge ourselves of homophobic attitudes. When Malcolm came to Boston to live with his older half-sister, Roxbury’s Ella Little Collins, he was 16, having dropped out of school at 15. With no job skills and looking for the most expedient route to acquire money, Malcolm peddled cocaine, broke into homes of Boston’s well-to-do, gambled big at poker games, and unabashedly serviced gay men for pay. While it can be argued that Malcolm’s same-sex encounters were not solely financially motivated, let us also not dismiss that the only evidence we do have is the context in which he was. We all know from Alex Haley’s book that Detroit Red was a wild cat… but hustlin’ a*s? Does this new information, if it is true, change the way we look at Malcolm X? Should people overlook his homosexual dalliances, if he had them, as merely a means of survival? Could Malcolm be proof that gay people can turn straight? So many questions… Source
By Kevin Brett 04/07/11 – Senator Mike Lee addresses the real reasons why federal legislators have led us to the precipice of a government shutdown. “A number of us have suggested all along in this process that at a point in time in America when we have a national debt approaching $15 trillion, at a point in time when we’re adding to that debt at a staggering rate of $1.7 trillion a year, it doesn’t… Broadcasting platform : YouTube Source : Campaign For Liberty Blog Discovery Date : 07/04/2011 23:30 Number of articles : 2
The first two elimination rounds of American Idol featured the surprising save of Casey Abrams, followed by a double ouster of Naima Adedapo and Thia Megia. Was the third contestant voted off tonight someone we expected, or did the voters have another surprise up their sleeves after Wednesday’s performances? Most pundits felt the Bottom Three would be made of Jacob Lusk, Paul McDonald and Stefano Langone. Two out of the three did in fact land there. But … The third member of the trio in danger was someone no one saw coming, and not only did that person land in the bottom three, they’re the one going home! Follow the jump to see which finalist left American Idol tonight … Pia Toscano was shockingly sent packing by voters this week! American Idol viewers eliminated their fifth consecutive female singer tonight, leaving Jacob, Stefano, the judges and plenty of fans beyond shocked. Many considered Pia to not just be safe tonight, but to have given Wednesday’s best performance and to be almost a lock for the Season 10 finals. “What a shock, what a surprise,” Ryan Seacrest said amid boos. Jennifer Lopez could not even hold back the tears. “I have no idea what just happened here. I’m shocked. I’m angry. I don’t even know what to say.” “A mistake is one thing, but a lack of passion is unforgivable,” Steven Tyler added, upset and nearly at a loss for words himself. “They’re wrong.” “We’re all in shock,” said Randy Jackson. “I’m gutted.” Think they’re regretting that save of Casey Abrams?! After her swan song (The Pretenders’ “I’ll Stand By You”), Pia Toscano broke down and was given a standing ovation from all, with many in tears. What do you think? Did America really blow it this week, or was Pia actually deserving of the heave-ho? Sound off in the comments …
The first two elimination rounds of American Idol featured the surprising save of Casey Abrams, followed by a double ouster of Naima Adedapo and Thia Megia. Was the third contestant voted off tonight someone we expected, or did the voters have another surprise up their sleeves after Wednesday’s performances? Most pundits felt the Bottom Three would be made of Jacob Lusk, Paul McDonald and Stefano Langone. Two out of the three did in fact land there. But … The third member of the trio in danger was someone no one saw coming, and not only did that person land in the bottom three, they’re the one going home! Follow the jump to see which finalist left American Idol tonight … Pia Toscano was shockingly sent packing by voters this week! American Idol viewers eliminated their fifth consecutive female singer tonight, leaving Jacob, Stefano, the judges and plenty of fans beyond shocked. Many considered Pia to not just be safe tonight, but to have given Wednesday’s best performance and to be almost a lock for the Season 10 finals. “What a shock, what a surprise,” Ryan Seacrest said amid boos. Jennifer Lopez could not even hold back the tears. “I have no idea what just happened here. I’m shocked. I’m angry. I don’t even know what to say.” “A mistake is one thing, but a lack of passion is unforgivable,” Steven Tyler added, upset and nearly at a loss for words himself. “They’re wrong.” “We’re all in shock,” said Randy Jackson. “I’m gutted.” Think they’re regretting that save of Casey Abrams?! After her swan song (The Pretenders’ “I’ll Stand By You”), Pia Toscano broke down and was given a standing ovation from all, with many in tears. What do you think? Did America really blow it this week, or was Pia actually deserving of the heave-ho? Sound off in the comments …
Stefano Langone and Jacob Lusk join onetime front-runner in the bottom three. By Gil Kaufman Pia Toscano Photo: FOX All sense of logic was officially thrown out the window on “American Idol” on Thursday night’s (April 7) elimination show. With two of the season’s leading contenders in the bottom three — after last week’s shocking near-miss for Paul McDonald — there seems to be no rhyme or reason to the voting patterns on the 10th season of the show. When the dust settled, those confounding voters served up one of the biggest early elimination bombshells in recent “Idol” history, sending home the woman many had pegged as a potential winner, or at least top finisher, Pia Toscano. The comely singer who had charmed the judges with her professional, powerful performances, camera-ready looks and diva-in-the-making potential hit the bottom three for the first, and last, time on Thursday night in a vote that confounded and angered the judging panel. As host Ryan Seacrest broke the bad news, judge Randy Jackson — perhaps sensing that he pulled his save too early two weeks ago when bearded bass player Casey Abrams was spared — grabbed his head and mouthed “no, no” and, as the camera cut away, maybe something a bit stronger, while Toscano smiled politely and took the news like a pro. “I’m good,” Toscano smiled when Seacrest asked how she was doing. Judge Jennifer Lopez broke into tears, saying, “I have no idea. I have no idea what just happened here. I’m shocked, I’m angry. I don’t even know what to say.” “They’re wrong, I don’t know what happened with this,” a dumbfounded Steven Tyler added, as Jackson admitted that he never gets mad on the show and was officially steamed at Toscano’s elimination. It was not shaping up like this earlier in the hour. Casey Abrams, Stefano Langone and Lauren Alaina were first up in the elimination circle, with Abrams skating after his CCR bass-plucking performance, Alaina safe after biting off a big chunk with “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” leaving Langone to shuffle to the bottom three again after a lackluster “When a Man Loves a Woman.” From early indications, it seemed like it was Langone who was going to be leaving. The second group featured Paul McDonald, Toscano and Scotty McCreery . McDonald rocked Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues,” while Pia went uptempo with Tina Turner’s “River Deep, Mountain High” and McCreery did Elvis’ “It’s Alright Mama.” McCreery and McDonald will live to sing another day, while nobody saw it coming when Toscano made her first visit to the bottom three. The next trio up was James Durbin, Haley Reinhart and Jacob Lusk. While rocker Durbin took a chance with the gentle ballad “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” and Reinhart hit “Piece of My Heart” with gusto, Lusk seemed to stumble with “Man in the Mirror.” Durbin was safe again, as was Reinhart, while Lusk also made his maiden voyage to the bottom. He, too, seemed like the likely one to be sent packing at show’s end. But first to be waved back to safety was Lusk, who survived despite a shaky performance and a strange warning to America that if he was eliminated it would be because the country couldn’t look itself in the mirror (whatever that means). Though eliminated contestants haven’t been given a chance to sing their way off this year, Seacrest made an exception and let Toscano reprise her heartbreaking cover of the Pretenders’ “I’ll Stand by You,” as the remaining eight wiped their eyes and the audience gave Pia a standing ovation while she broke down in tears at song’s end. Perhaps sensing that one of the leading lights of the show had been dimmed and the audience might wane in the coming weeks, Seacrest ended the show with the plea: “We need you. Stay with us this season.” The show also featured season-four finalist and Tony nominee Constantine Maroulis stopping by to visit the kids and sing a brooding rock version of the classic ballad “Unchained Melody.” But, aside from Pia’s exit, the night’s biggest WTF moment was when Rock Hall of Famer and shirt-allergic punk godfather Iggy Pop shimmed all over the stage to “Real Wild Child.” What did you think of tonight’s elimination? Did Pia deserve to go home? Let us know in the comments. Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos ‘American Idol’ Season 10 Performances
Pia, Haley and Paul also rock the ‘Idol’ stage, while Stefano fails to make the grade. By Eric Ditzian Scotty McCreery performs on “American Idol” on Wednesday Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Fox The oddest thing about “American Idol” on Wednesday night wasn’t that Rock and Roll Hall of Fame night was largely rock-and-roll free. No, what was truly weird was that producers seemed to be trying out a new reality-show concept on the program — some newfangled version of “Perfect Strangers” starring Jimmy Iovine and will.i.am as a bickering, kind-of-annoying, yet ultimately endearing twosome. Is it too much to ask that pre-performance packages focus on contestants rather than look-at-me producers/personalities? To the folks behind the “Idol” scenes, we offer a firm tsk-tsk-tsk. To the singers themselves, we send out our hearty congratulations. No one bombed. No one put us to sleep. Five weeks into the finals, we’re proud of these kids. Here’s how they stack up on our latest “American Idol” report card. Excellent Scotty McCreery : He Who Shall Soon Sell Millions of Records promised to transform himself into a rocker for an Elvis Presley cover, but Scotty couldn’t ditch his country vibe if he hopped in a Ferrari and floored it. During his honky-tonk take on “That’s All Right, Mama,” the 17-year-old was loosey-goosey and loving being up on the stage. Oh, and he sounded great, too — like a true country pro. Scotty’s starting to believe he might win this thing. He’s not wrong. Good Haley Reinhart : We don’t often see stuff like this, a contestant struggling at the bottom tier of the competition, only to rediscover her greatness after weeks of confusion and criticism. That’s exactly what’s happened with Haley, who followed up a killer take on Elton John’s “Bennie and the Jets” with an impressive cover of Janis Joplin’s “Piece of My Heart.” What a muscular voice she has! Our only complaint is that we wish the arrangement had been more sparse, allowing her vocals to soar. Pia Toscano : We hated the cheesy synth chords in the background of that cover of Tina Turner’s “River Deep, Mountain High.” We didn’t think she looked all that comfortable scrambling around the stage. None of that, however, matters at all. Why? Because Pia has one of the finest voices we’ve heard on “Idol” in years. End of story. Paul McDonald : Who would have guessed that Paul, and not Scotty, would be the one singing Johnny Cash? Paul’s take on “Folsom City Blues” was good, clean, swinging fun. Playing the guitar rather than flippity-flopping all over the stage continues to pay dividends for him. We’re just not sure any of it will be enough to keep him out of the bottom three. And that’s a shame. Satisfactory Jacob Lusk : There was goofy dancing. There was oh-no-don’t-do-that hip thrusting. There were pitch problems as far as the eye could see. OK, fine. But the most galling aspect of Jacob’s night was his smug observation that if he landed in the bottom three, it’d have nothing to do with his singing but rather would be an indictment of America herself. Listen, Jacob, we’ll give you the same advice we gave James Durbin a few weeks ago: Be humble and be great, because on Wednesday, you were neither. Casey Abrams : The bushy beard was back, as were the zany stares when you can almost hear Casey thinking, “If I just keep squinting, I’ll totally look all sexy and stuff, right?” Wrong! We like Casey because he’s got a hefty serving of soul hiding inside an unlikely package. And, yes, we liked his faithful Creedence Clearwater Revival homage. He’s got undeniable musical talent. But Casey continues to fall into default growl mode too often, and we’re no longer buying what he’s selling: That ain’t originality we’re hearing, it’s a defense mechanism. Lauren Alaina : We’re reluctant to drop Lauren into this category. She performed far better than Jacob or Casey. Yet her take on “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” didn’t hold a candle to tunes from Haley or Pia. We were happy to hear her deliver a ballad, as we’ve continued to argue it’s during slower songs that she’s able to shine. But let’s be clear: This was nothing compared to the cover that Kelly Clarkson busted out years ago — a fact that makes the judges’ comparisons last month of Lauren to the season one winner all the more laughable. James Durbin : James, too, slips into “satisfactory” territory, if only because at this point in the season, the competition is stiff and the top tier set the bar so high on Wednesday. We give him a big thumbs-up for embracing some soft Beatles rock, even if we maintain “Hey Jude” would have been a savvier choice. And we’d even go so far as to say his screams actually worked this time, bringing a rousing conclusion to a somewhat sleepy tune. So what was James problem? He only seemed to hit, oh, a third of the notes in “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” Unsatisfactory Stefano Langone : In the “Idol” audience, Christian Slater was clasping his hands, praying that Stefano would hit the money note on “When a Man Loves a Woman.” He didn’t, and he’s in serious danger of going home. The falsetto wasn’t there, nor was the sense that he’s not singing alone in his car but in front of millions of viewers at home. Stefano’s had a good and, one might argue, unlikely run. But heading out in the top nine seems about right. So how did you rate this week’s “Idol” performances? Share your opinions in the comments. Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos ‘American Idol’ Season 10 Performances
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