Idol Chatter & Voice Views

I expected The X Factor to save the best for last in its final audition episode.

But I’m not sure that happened Thursday night.

Instead, the show spent a needless final four minutes reminding us of “special” contestants we’d already met — 18-year-old Melanie Amaro. personable 13-year-old Rachel Crow, recovering addict Chris Rene, and 42-year-old Stacy Francis.

Gee, guys, the show’s only been on for two weeks. Our memories aren’t that short.

And, frankly, it was quite annoying. And reminiscent of the way Idol pimps certain contestants over others.

We get it. Chris, Melanie, Rachel and Stacy are likely to survive boot camp, perhaps be in the finals, even if Stacy is the only one who seemed truly special during the auditions.

On to the Thursday night recap:

The judges: Poor Nicole Scherzinger already faces a credibility crisis sitting on this panel. And the show’s editors aren’t doing her any favors. If it takes her as long to pick out a pair of heels as it did to decide the fate of a half-talented duo named Ausem … well, she’d never make it to the show on time. Fortunately, the remainder of the panel is superior, far superior, to what you’ll find on Idol.

And was that a dig at Randy Jackson? One vocally challenged young lady took the stage claiming she was “in it to win it.” Unfortunately, 21-year-old bartender Nouf Taraman sings about as well as Randy judges … which means she did not advance. Grade: C, partly because the show was short on those trademark Simon zingers.

The Music: Nervous 16-year-old Jasslyn Little was the final performer we met. She admitted she posted a video of herself singing on Youtube and got only 500 hits. And she admitted she was probably the problem. Then she turned in a version of Mary J. Blige’s “I’m Going Down” that brought the four judges to their feet. Said Simon: “I’d love to see what you’re like when you’ve got confidence.”

Among the other highlights: Paige Elizabeth Ogle, 18, won me over when she said she’d make a place for herself in the music business by taking out Justin Bieber. Then she won me over a second time singing Lady Gaga’s “You and I.” Cari Fletcher showed up on stage looking like a star and with more holes in her jeans than Kristi Lee Cook. I’m hoping her vocals are more along the lines of Carrie Underwood.

Nashville singer Brennin is sure to make some young ladies swoon with his look and his swagger. He performed an original song, “How We Make It,” and sounded very good. For those who would like to hear more, he has an EP available on iTunes.

As for the rest, 14-year-old Brian Bradley came off as a wee bit too obnoxious, 21-year-old Tora Woloshin won praise from the judges for a shouty vocal, only one half of the Ausem tandem was worthy of advancing, and I must have totally missed the appeal of a quintet known as The Stereo Hogzz. Grade: C.

Coming next: The X Factor Boot Camp starts next week. Think Hollywood Week on Idol, done bigger and with more drama. I’m already going to predict how this will go. Grade: Z.