Idol Chatter & Voice Views

If you missed what Kara DioGuardi had to say about Ellen’s performance as a judge during Hollywood Week, go here.

If you missed what Kara DioGuardi had to say about the Adam Lambert effect on American Idol this year or about all the rumors swirling around the judges’ table, go here.

Meanwhile, here comes the beloved American Idol Hollywood episode.

I mean, remember last year?

With Team Diva, in which some of the divas had to wake up Bikini Girl in order to move forward with their performance?

With Team Compromise, in which Nancy Wilson and Kristen McNamara … well, didn’t see eye to eye?

Such fun. Let’s hope this year’s episode measures up.

And so the dynamics are set up.

We have Team Dreamers, which include Mary Powers, Alex Lambert, Hope Johnson, Erynne Hundley and Margo May. Hope is the girl from the poor family; we met her during the Road to Hollywood show. Mary Powers is the female rocker who scored high marks last night.

We have Team Phoenix, which includes Moorea Masa, Kat Nestle and Jermaine Sellers and, apparentlly, a couple of other members.

We have the Mightly Rangers, which includes Kim Kerbow, Mark Labriola, Danny Jones, Tori Kelly and Maddie Penrose.

We have Team Awesome, which includes Timothy Urban, Michael Lynche (whose wife is going into labor), Michael Castro and at least one other person I can’t identify.

We have Team Neopolitan, with Jessica Cunningham, Thaddeus Johnson, Paige Miles and Liz Rooney.

And we have Team Destiny’s Wild, featuring Todrick Hall, Jereb Liewer, Siobhan Magnus and Theiry Harden

Michael Lynche becomes a dad.

And we get introduced to a new group, Team Faith, with Charity Vance, Michelle Delamor and Ashley Rodriguez, all of whom move forward after an impressive vocal performance.

Next up, Team Awesome. Michael Lynche and Tim Urban move on; Seth Rollins and Michael Castro head home. Not surprising. Michael and Tim have very good voices.

And all of Team Neopolitan makes it to the next step. Surprised, because I didn’t think that was a very good performance.

At least not compared to Destiny’s Wild, which follows them to the stage, performing the same song, Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance.” Very good performance; the best I’ve seen yet tonight. They all advance as well.

Wow, is anyone getting eliminated tonight.

Not that I’m complaining. I just saw Crystal Bowersox, one of my favorites, advance.

It looks like the Mighty Rangers didn’t do so well — Mark Labriola, Kim Kerbow and Danny Jones don’t make it; Maddie Penrose and Tori Kelly advance. Tori’s a 16-year-old who has competed against David Archuleta and Jordin Sparks in past singing competitions.

OK, Team Phoenix has lost Kat Nestle, leaving it with four members instead of five. Ben Honeycutt and Moorea get cut; Jeff Goldford and Jermaine Sellers advance. Hmm, I thought Ben sounded better than Jeff.

And it’s the end of the road for two other contestants featured during the audition shows — Matt Lawrence, the guy who spent time in prison; and Amanda Shechtman, the drama queen I figured Idol would milk but didn’t; and Dave Pittman, the guy who has battled and beaten Tourette’s syndrome.

The Dreamers just imploded — good quip, Kara. It’s the end of the road for Margo (who really has a very good voice and some very good tunes on MySpace) and Erynne. Hope, Mary and Alex advance.

Whew, did you follow all that?

I’ll have a recap soon.